ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –When it comes to conference realignment, life can be hard. It’s a tough lesson that Mountain West basketball coaches have to face as its league deals with being poached by the PAC-12. Both leagues are only seven members strong at the moment and short of the NCAA-required eight to be a conference. Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State, Colorado State and Fresno State have all agreed to join the PAC-12 in 2026 breaking up what had turned into a strong basketball conference for the Mountain West.

Conference realignment is always decided by what is good for football. “Decisions are being made right now that has nothing to do with men’s basketball and that’s a tough pill to swallow because I know how important this program is to this community,” said University of New Mexico Head Men’s Basketball Coach Richard Pitino. “So, it is ever-changing, ever-evolving. Who knows what the next hour will bring?”

That’s a good question for anyone following a conference back and forth that has morphed into a basketball soap opera. As far as action on the court is concerned, the question is what will New Mexico do for an encore? The Lobos return on the heels of a season that saw their return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a decade and Mountain West Tournament Championship. “Hope it motivates them greatly,” said UNM head coach Richard Pitino. “I know it motivates me. We had an average practice the other day and instead of showing practice clips, I just showed five to ten pictures of the Mountain West Championship, celebrating with each other, with the trophy, cutting down nets. That’s what this program needs to be about moving forward.”

There are a lot of new faces and the returners want the new guys to experience what they did last season. “There’s only a few returners from last year’s team. So I guess it’s a whole new team in a way you can say. So, they haven’t quite experienced that,” said UNM guard Donovan Dent. “I kind of want to take them to that area. I think we’re all excited just to get there.”

The Lobos will play the UTEP Miners in an exhibition game Oct. 28.

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