Itll start with a conference renewal game against UTEP.Then, the return to the Pit of a Lute Olson-disciple begging fans to boo him.Then its right into a midweek island hop to Hawaii before wrapping up in Reno with a possible conference title on the line against a pair of former Lobo coaches and their new pack of wolves.UNM on Tuesday released the preliminary version of its 18-game 2026-27 season Mountain West mens basketball schedule. Combined with the 11 nonconference games already announced, we now know 29 of 32 regular season games for Eric Olens second season as head coach.The league does not yet know when its media rights partners will be selecting which games to broadcast when, meaning and of the 18 conference games revealed Tuesday could still be shifted on day to accommodate television broadcasts (Tuesday games can shift to Wednesdays, Saturday games can shift to Friday night).But of the league games we do know, there are some decent storylines to grab hold of, even if the league clearly isn't going to be as strong in men's basketball in its new conference makeup as it was in the previous iteration before Utah State, Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Colorado State defected to join this season the relaunch of the Pac-12.UNM opens the new Mountain West season on Jan. 2 at UTEP.The last time UNM and UTEP played as conference rivals was on Feb. 20, 1999, in the Pit in a late-season WAC tilt. Kenny Thomas scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a lopsided 81-65 UNM win over the Miners.The teams have split the 10 nonconference games theyve played since then five wins apiece including a 2011 NIT game in the Pit in which Steve Alfords Lobos and Tim Floyds Miners nearly came to blows on the Pit ramp the day prior to the game concerning which team was supposed to be on the court for practice.Former UNM head coaches Steve Alford and Craig Neal pay a visit to the Pit on Jan. 5 with Nevada, who also hosts UNM on the regular seasons final day.UNLV head coach Josh Pastner, who last year in a podcast with the Journal noted that he played for Lute Olson when the legendary Arizona head coach vowed to never schedule a game in the Pit again in the late 1990s due to what he said was some home cookin with the game clock, missed an Albuquerque visit this past season due to the leagues unbalanced schedule.This year, he has a challenge for Pit fans.I just want to make sure that when UNLV steps on that floor at the Pit and God rest his soul, Lute Olson will be looking down at every second of the (game) timer and hes going to be checking every little thing but I expect those fans to be booing as loud as they can be, and I want to hear that all throughout the state of New Mexico, Pastner said during Episode 115 of the Tlaking Grammer podcast last summer.And I want to return when were here at UNLV at Thomas & Mack. I want us to be booing as loud as we can to New Mexico.Feb. 13, Pastner gets his wish with the Rebels playing in the Pit.UNM has announced or the Journal has confirmed 11 of the Lobos 14 nonconference games. Of the three left, one is expected to be UNMs non-Division I opponent likely D-II Eastern New Mexico University or D-II Western New Mexico University.Geoff Grammer covers Lobo mens basketball and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.2026-27 UNM mens basketball scheduleEXHIBITIONS*Exhibition: at Oklahoma State, Oct. 11*Exhibition: vs. Washington State, Oct. 18 (The Pit)*One exhibition game left to announceNONCONFERENCE*vs. Utah Tech, Nov. 2 (The Pit)*vs. Northern Arizona, Nov. 7 (The Pit)*vs. Arkansas Little Rock, Nov. 10 (The Pit)*at Santa Clara, Nov. 14*at Wichita State, Nov. 21*vs. Mississippi Valley State, Nov. 25 (The Pit)*vs. Utah State, Nov. 29 (The Pit)*vs. New Mexico State, Dec. 5 (The Pit)*vs. Saint Mary's, Dec. 12 (The Pit)*vs. Boise State, Dec. 21 or 23 (TBD event in California)*vs. Oregon State, Dec. 21 or 23 (TBD event in California)*Three regular season, nonconference games left to announceMountain West schedule*at UTEP, Jan. 2*vs. Nevada, Jan. 5 (The Pit)*vs. UC Davis, Jan. 9 (The Pit)*at UNLV, Jan. 12*at Air Force, Jan. 16*vs. San Jose State, Jan. 19 (The Pit)*vs. Grand Canyon, Jan. 23 (The Pit)*at Hawaii, Jan. 26*vs. Air Force, Jan. 30 (The Pit)*at San Jose State, Feb. 2*at Grand Canyon, Feb. 6*vs. UNLV, Feb. 13 (The Pit)*at Wyoming, Feb. 16*vs. UTEP, Feb. 20 (The Pit)*vs. Hawaii, Feb. 24 (The Pit)*at UC Davis, Feb. 27*vs. Wyoming, March 2 (The Pit)*at Nevada, March*Mountain West Tournament March 10-13 (Las Vegas, Nevada)