Arizona's Lute Olson-initiated scheduling boycott of New Mexico is over.
The Wildcats will play New Mexico in 2016-17 for the first time in 17 years, hosting the Lobos on Dec. 17, 2016 while playing at the Pit in Albuquerque on Dec. 16, 2017.
UA operations director Ryan Reynolds said the series makes sense for the Wildcats because of their fans in the region and the easy travel to Albuquerque. But the absence of games between the two teams in recent years had nothing to do with convenience.
During the 1998-99 season, Olson vowed "unequivocally" never to schedule the Lobos again following a controversial finish at the Pit. And he followed up on that vow, with the teams never playing again after their four-year series concluded in 1999-2000.
In New Mexico's 79-78 win on Jan. 16, 1999, the Lobos trailed by a point when they inbounded the ball with 4.6 seconds left. But replays showed the clock did not start immediately when they inbounded, and they managed to dribble downcourt, juke through the UA defense, and hit a game winner.
Olson was livid. And his players were puzzled.
βThey couldnβt do all that in that amount of time,β Michael Wright said in an archived Tucson Citizen story.
The New Mexico series will effectively replace the two-year Gonzaga series that ends in Spokane next season. The Lobos will be UA's third major nonconference opponent of the 2016-17 season, with the Wildcats also scheduled to play at Missouri and against Michigan State at Pearl Harbor.
Arizona, which will play in the Wooden Legacy next season, will face similar competition in the Las Vegas Invitational over Thanksgiving week in 2016-17.
UNM coach Craig Neal said he's "very appreciative" of UA for agreeing to play the Lobos and come back to Albuquerque.
For next season, however, Arizona State may be putting together a more difficult nonconference schedule than Arizona for a change.
The Sun Devils will play at Kentucky next season, and also have UNLV, St. John's, Creighton and Texas A&M on their schedule. ASU also will play in the Legends Classic with North Carolina State, Marquette and LSU.
Arizona's biggest test is at Gonzaga, while the Wildcats will host Missouri and UNLV as part of home-and-homes while playing in the Wooden Legacy, which also features Michigan State.
Draft Express posted a video interview with Stanley Johnson from Santa Barbara, where Johnson said he learned to shoot better but struggled with decision-making at Arizona.
