No sentimental feelings are distracting Ritchie McKay as he gets ready to coach what could be his final game for New Mexico.

The Lobos play Texas Christian at 7:30 p.m. today in the first round of the Mountain West Conference Tournament at the Thomas & Mack Center.

McKay was fired Feb. 22, effective after the season, ending his five-year run at New Mexico.

"No one is talking about that. We're beyond that," McKay said. "My approach is to get our team as prepared as possible."

The ninth-seeded Lobos (15-16) and eighth-seeded Horned Frogs (12-16) split their two meetings this season, each team winning at home.

TCU made a late-season surge that included victories over Air Force and Wyoming.

"We obviously have been playing a lot better lately," Horned Frogs coach Neil Dougherty said. "Our guys' confidence has been lifted with a couple of wins."

New Mexico, led by junior guard J.R. Giddens, is a 5-point favorite on the neutral court.

• WOMEN'S ALL-MWC TEAM -- UNLV junior guard Sequoia Holmes was named Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Holmes also was named to the All-MWC second team, while Lady Rebels teammate Shamela Hampton was a third-team selection.

Holmes, a Mojave High School graduate, was second in the league with 2.61 steals per game, 12th in rebounding (6.3) and 15th in blocks (0.57). She also averaged 14.5 points per game.

Hampton, a sophomore center, averaged 12 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Brigham Young senior center Dani Wright and Texas Christian junior guard Adrianne Ross shared MWC Player of the Year honors.

The All-MWC first team was comprised of Wright, Ross, Utah's Morgan Warburton, New Mexico's Katie Montgomery and Wyoming's Hanna Zavecz.

BYU's Jeff Judkins was named MWC Coach of the Year.

• UNLV BANQUET -- Fans are invited to watch the NCAA Tournament Selection Show with the UNLV basketball team Sunday at Cox Pavilion.

The Runnin' Rebel Basketball Banquet begins at 1 p.m. with a cocktail social, followed by lunch at 1:30 and an awards ceremony at 2.

The cost is $30 per person, and reservations along with payment must be made by Wednesday.

For more information, contact the basketball office at 895-3295.