In Episode 32, I catch up with NMSU Aggies coach Chris Jans about life as a program relocated out of New Mexico due to the public health order, what he did on the team's recent COVID pause (spoiler alert, we talked streamed shows and Christmas movies) and what he knows about his team so far in this crazy season as games are (finally) about to start again for his team.

In Episode 31, I catch up with La Cueva High and UCLA graduate Bryce Alford about his participation in TBT (The Basketball Tournament), his take on what his older brother will be like in his first head coaching job at an NAIA school in Indiana, his dad's return to he Mountain West with Nevada, what his own basketball future may bring and plenty of other things.

In Episode 30 I catch up with Albuquerque Academy graduate Cody Toppert, former NBA assistant and current Memphis Tigers assistant about his upcoming gig as a coach in TBT (The Basketball Tournament), the Elam Ending, coaching with Penny Hardaway, basketball analytics and whether or not his team has a shot at winning $1 million.

In Episode 29 I catch up with UNM Lobo basketball rising seniors Makuach Maluach and Keith McGee (the team's third senior, Zane Martin, was not available). They talk about the odd offseason being away from teammates, expectations for next year, who is the best at video games and what they're learning watching 'The Last Dance' documentary on the Chicago Bulls.

I check in with Lobo assistant coach and former NMSU Aggie player Brandon Mason to get his perspective on 'The Last Dance' documentary on the Chicago Bulls. Mason was a junior playing basketball in Chicago during the 1997-98 Bulls championship season, wore 23 throughout his career due to Michael Jordan and I ask him what if a 5-star recruit wants to play for the Lobos but thinks LeBron is better than MJ.

In Episode 27 I catch up with Lobo hoops assistant coach Dan McHale to see what the heck college basketball coaches who aren't allowed to be on the road recruiting or in the office due to coronavirus concerns are doing this time of year. Turns out, they're still busy as ever. Dan walks us through his Rick Pitino coaching education, how UNM is recruiting now and some thoughts on next year's team.

In Episode 26 I veer off course a bit with a conversation with New Mexico's own Holly Holm ahead of UFC 246 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Nev. Holly is in the co-main event of UFC 246 against Raquel Pennington and while we touch on that some, the main point I wanted to talk about in the time we got with her away from the rest of the media is her connection with the fans of New Mexico who love her so much and her sense of obligation to never let them down.

While some Mountain West coaches brag on wins on the court or on the recruiting trail, the life of a service academy coach is a little different. I had a talk with, admittedly, one of my favorite coaches in the Mountain West, Air Force's Dave Pilipovich. He talks about what it's like coaching cadets, their lives after college basketball, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the charity work he and his wife do in Colorado Springs, some memories of coaching against the Lobos, and I ask him for some of his favorite Snake stories through the years.

UNM Lobos point guard J.J. Caldwell and I sat down before a practice earlier this week to talk about his quick start in UNM's 7-2 start to the season after having played very little basketball over the past three years. The pass-first PG may be getting overlooked since he isn't one of the team's scorers. We talk about that and I break down the start of Mountain West hoops play before wrapping up the pod with a brief interview with my 10-year-old daughter about her strategy to beat me picking games this season.

One-time Albuquerque Journal staffer Andy Katz, the former Lobo hoops beat writer who went on to the Fresno Bee, ESPN and now spreads his work around with NCAA.com, Turner Sports, The BigTen Network, Fox and elsewhere, talked with us about his memories of covering the Lobos, his current Albuquerque connections and the state of the Lobo program today.