SDSU’s Final Four placement to boost Lobo funding

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – For the first time in history, a Mountain West team is in the Final Four, and it turns out, it’s helping more than just the conference’s national reputation.

San Diego State University is making a historic run – so the University of New Mexico is getting a boost from one of its rivals in the NCAA tournament. 

Ryan Berryman is UNM’s athletic chief operating officer, and he explained why: 

“Every appearance in each round of the tournament qualifies the conference for what they call a basketball unit. Those units pay roughly for around $300,000, and they’re paid over six years,” said Berryman. 

The Lobos, and every other Mountain West team, are looking at more than $200,000 in funding they previously wouldn’t have had.

“This will be the highest unit earnings for the Mountain West since I think 2011 when Jimmer Fredette was playing at BYU and Kawhi Leonard was playing at San Diego State,” Berryman said. 

The Mountain West is now contributing to the madness. SDSU will face the Florida Atlantic Owls next weekend for a chance to play in the national championship.

The Lobos had beaten the Aztecs earlier in the season, and then lost a nail-biter at home.

It will also be the last chance to earn more money for the Mountain West, as the funding is awarded for rounds you appear in, not just wins. Meaning, it’d be another roughly $30,000 for the Lobos if the Aztecs win on Saturday.