Utah Utes basketball: Top 10 Utah-New Mexico contests in 'The Pit'

Miller lay on the floor for two minutes and though Miller and Michael Doleac complained later ("Andre doesn't turn the ball over — it's hard for me to believe he dropped it twice in a row," said Doleac), the Utes never recovered.

Alex Jensen and Drew Hansen each missed free throws in the final minute and Doleac was out-muscled for a key rebound by Kenny Thomas. Olney finished the Utes off with another 3-pointer with five seconds left.

Later, WAC commissioner Karl Benson told the Albuquerque Journal, "A foul should have been called."

Even Olney acknowledged, "There were some questionable calls, but that's the way it goes."

Feb. 26, 1983 — Utah 62, New Mexico 61

Trailing by one point with five seconds left, Utah senior guard Pace Mannion drove the length of the floor and scored at the buzzer to give the Utes a 62-61 victory.

Mannion acknowledged after the game that he was inspired by a similar drive BYU's Danny Ainge had made two years earlier against Notre Dame in an NCAA game. Besides Mannion's 13 points, fellow senior Peter Williams had 15 and freshman George Furgis scored 10 for the Utes, who stayed alive at 9-5 in the WAC race, in which they'd eventually tie for first.

Jan. 17, 1981 — Utah 82, New Mexico 76 (OT)

The 14-1 Utes were favored against the 6-7 Lobos, but had to fight and scratch to eke out an overtime victory. Danny Vranes scored 24 points to lead Utah, while Tom Chambers had 23 for the Utes, who also got 14 points from Scott Martin.

Utah didn't lead until there was 9:46 left in the game and needed a free throw by Chambers to send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Karl Bankowski, Martin, Vranes and Craig Hammer each scored as the Utes outscored the Lobos 12-6.

March 10, 1995 — Utah 86, New Mexico 50

A WAC Tournament semifinal game on the Lobos' home court should have been competitive, even if the Utes came in with a 25-5 record as the league's No. 1 seed.

However, the Utes jumped out to a 42-19 lead behind Brandon Jessie, who nearly outscored the Lobos in the first half by himself with 18 of his career-high 28 points.

The 36-point loss was New Mexico's worst in the Pit.

Jan. 28, 1978 — New Mexico 113, Utah 89

This turned out to be the largest margin of victory ever at The Pit for the Lobos over the Utes. And it came against one of Utah's better ballclubs, a 23-6 team led by Jeff Judkins and Buster Matheney that went to the NCAA Sweet 16. Colorful Norm Ellenberger was the coach of a run n' gun Lobo team that raced out to a 17-point halftime advantage and eventually led by as much as 30. Marvin Johnson led the Lobos with 23 points, while future NBAer Michael Cooper had 19. A month later in Salt Lake, the Utes took an exciting 95-92 victory.

Jan. 9, 1971 — New Mexico 78, Utah 77

With 23 seconds left and the Lobos leading by one, 76-75, Utah coach Jack Gardner was given a technical foul when Eddie Trail was called for a deliberate foul on Petie Gibson from behind. But the Lobos missed three straight free throws, giving Utah life. However, Ken Gardner was called for an offensive foul and the Utes had to foul the Lobos, who made two free throws to put the game away before a last-second bucket by Mike Newlin.

Feb. 21, 2005 — New Mexico 65, Utah 54

Behind future national player of the year Andrew Bogut, the No. 12-ranked Utes rode an 18-game winning streak into Albuquerque, only to see the Lobos take a 65-54 victory behind Mark Walters and Danny Granger. It was the highlight of the short career of coach Ritchie McKay, who aggravated Ute fans with a midcourt dance during a late timeout.

Feb. 2, 1995 — Utah 95, New Mexico 91 (OT)

It took until his sixth season for Rick Majerus to get a win at The Pit, as freshman Michael Doleac scored 17 points and the Utes got key baskets from Mark Rydalch, Brandon Jessie and Keith Van Horn. The Lobos tied it with one second left on two free throws by freshman Royce Olney (him again), but the Utes dominated the overtime. A month later came the 36-point whipping by the Utes in the WAC Tournament.