ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –N.M. – New Mexico State Rivalry is back in men’s basketball after the two teams didn’t play last year.

The two women’s teams kicked-off the Rio Grande Rivalry early Saturday, and UNM came out on top.

Last year, the rivalry game was canceled after police say former NMSU basketball player Mike Peake shot and killed UNM student Brandon Travis. 

Travis and other UNM students ambushed Peake as part of a revenge plot for a fight that broke out at the rivalry football game early that year. 

The shooting happened the night before the game, and university officials decided to cancel it. 

Earlier this week, UNM men’s basketball Head Coach Richard Pitino talked about last year’s events, calling it a tragedy. 

But, he said, the main thing is to remember how important college basketball is to New Mexico.

The Lobos win against NMSU, 106-62.