This offseason, The Pit went quiet.
The ever-changing college basketball coaching carousel struck again, as beloved New Mexico coach Richard Pitino announced he would be joining his father in the Big East — taking the head coaching job at Xavier.
So, who did New Mexico hire? Eric Olen, the recent UC San Diego head coach, who just led the Tritons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance and pushed Michigan to the brink in the first round.
Now, Olen finds himself in the Mountain West Conference, guiding a Lobos team eager to build on its recent success after advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season.
And in a conference as competitive as the Mountain West, roster construction is everything.
Here’s a look at how the Lobos are shaping up this offseason:
Key Departures
Donovan Dent (UCLA): 20.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, 49% FG
Nelly Junior Joseph (Graduated): 14.2 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 56.4% FG
Tru Washington (Miami): 11.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 SPG
Mustapha Amzil (Eligibility exhausted): 11.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 38.4% FG
CJ Noland (Graduated): 7.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 41.1% FG
Filip Borovicanin (Xavier): 5.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 41.3% FG
Jovan Milicevic (Xavier): 3.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 45.8% 3PT
Key Arrivals
Tajavis Miller (North Dakota State): 10.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 36.7% 3PT
Deyton Albury (Utah State): 7.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 54.8% FG
Chris Howell (UC San Diego): 5.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.2 SPG
Luke Haupt (Point Loma- D2): 13.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 39.1% 3PT
JT Rock (Iowa State): Saw just 9 games of action
Milos Vicente (UC San Diego): Injured most of last season
Kallai Patton (USC): Missed the whole season due to injury
Kevin Patton Jr. (USC): 3.1 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 56.1% FG
While the roster remains a work in progress, it’s a promising start for Olen in his debut season. A trio of reliable guards in Miller, Albury and Howell will provide backcourt stability, and 7-footer JT Rock could emerge as a key presence in the paint.
Though the season is still months away, it’ll be tough to bet against New Mexico in 2025–26, especially with a proven winner like Olen now leading the program.
