Lobos-Pioneers memories

 Tonight’s (Dec. 9) men’s basketball game at the Pit between the New Mexico Lobos and the Denver Pioneers brings back some old-time memories — in particular from the 1959-60 season. 

At the time, Denver and UNM were rivals in the old Skyline Conference. The Pioneers were pretty good. The Lobos ... weren’t.

On Jan. 30, 1960, the teams played in Denver. Marring the Pioneers’ 107-79 victory was a nasty fight between DU star Jim Peay and UNM rebounder extraordinaire (but a horrible shooter) Tom King with seven minutes left in the game. 

According to an Associated Press story, Peay was about to shoot a free throw when King charged him and punched him in the mouth. Peay retaliated; both men would need stitches.

Today, King, and perhaps Peay as well for retaliating, would have faced suspensions. Not in 1960. King was assessed a technical foul, but the story doesn’t indicate he was ejected. Peay was done for the night, but he’d already done his damage: 35 points. 

Neither player missed a game as a result of the fight.

On Feb. 27, the teams met again in Albuquerque. This time, the story was Denver guard Jerry Cole, who scored a then-Johnson Gym record of 41 points in a 108-83 Pioneers victory. 

As an eye witness, I recall that many of Cole’s points came on cherry-pick layups. When a UNM shot went up, Cole would simply take off toward the Lobo defensive basket, take a long pass from a rebounder and lay the ball in unguarded. 

The Lobos, clearly not dedicated to the defensive end, never seemed to adjust. 

As Denver coach Hoyt Brawner brought in his backups late in the game, he sent his starters to the locker room to shower, dress and get ready to head to the airport for the flight home. As Cole exited, he made a point to shake hands with UNM’s players — as well he should have. As good a player as he was, he couldn’t have scored 41 points without their help.

For his part, King — who stood just 6–foot-3 — hauled in 24 of the 56 rebounds available (according to the box score) that night. He and Peay (who scored 26 points) were on their best behavior.

Two years later, a couple of things happened. New Mexico became a charter member of the Western Athletic Conference, and Bob King, a defensive-minded fellow from the get-go, became UNM’s head coach. 

With King on the sideline, as the Journal’s Geoff Grammer noted in his story this morning, the Lobos assumed the upper hand in the series with Denver. But the teams haven’t met since 1970.  

The series, as Geoff pointed out, is tied 21-21 entering tonight’s game.