In-state product who plays in the post and could very well be the most improved player in the league considering he did not play last year • for a big man, he is a very good passer and can make shots out to 20 feet • signed with UNM in November of 2009 • has a wingspan of 7-foot-2 • high school head coach was his father, Alan • had back surgery in the summer of 2011 and redshirted the 2011-12 season • three blocks from moving into UNM's career top-10...he has 83
2013 MW TOURNAMENT
• Branch Law Firm Men's Basketball Awards • Co-Most Valuable Player • Co-Comeback Player of the Year
Averaged 9.0 ppg and 5.7 rpg and had six blocks • foul trouble limited him to a season-low 19 minutes against Wyoming in the quarterfinals...seven points and five rebounds, and no blocks for the first time in 12 games • 15 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and he altered countless other shots vs. San Diego State in the semifinals • five points, five rebounds and two blocks at UNLV in the title game...fewest points in 15 games, since two at San Diego State on Jan. 26
2012-13 • RS-SOPHOMORE
• 2nd All-Mountain West and Mountain West All-Defensive Team (last Lobo big man to earn all-defensive team honors was Kenny Thomas in the Western Athletic Conference in 1999)
• U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District VIII team
• MW Player of the Week (Dec. 31 after Cincinnati game...15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks)
• MW Co-Player of the Week (Jan. 14 after UNLV and Fresno State...42 points, 23 rebounds, 15-26 FGs, 2-4 3s, 10-13 FTs)
• MW Co-Player of the Week (March 4 after San Diego State and Wyoming...40 points, 16 rebounds, 14-25 FGs, 4-6 3s, 8-8 FTs, 5 blocks)
Stats & Trends MW Player of the Week three times...averaged 12.1 points and a team-high 8.1 rebounds, plus 63 blocks, in 29.1 minutes a game...12.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in MW games • started all but the first two games • averaged nearly a double-double the last 12 games at 14.0 ppg and 9.3 rpg...even better the last nine games with four double-doubles and averages of 15.0 points and 8.4 boards...overcame a 4-game, flu-hampered stretch from Jan. 23-Feb. 2 when he was limited to 21 points and 19 boards • led UNM with nine double-doubles, and he was within a point or a rebound of having another six • made 25 of his last 29 FTs to reach 71.5% for the season • 63 blocks ranks No. 9 for a single season at UNM while 282 rebounds is 15th best
Single Game Highlights Played in the final exhibition game against New Mexico Highlands (missed the opener with a sprained ankle), scoring 16 points with eight rebounds, going 8-8 from the line, also blocking two shots • 14 points (6-10 FGs) and a team-high seven rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench against Davidson...it was his first competition since UNM's second-round NIT game at Alabama on March 21, 2011, a span of 603 days • nine points and nine boards (five offensive) off the bench against Illinois-Chicago...seven of his points came in the final 2:58 of the game, including 5-6 FTs • first start of the season came against George Mason, and he logged eight points and a team-high nine rebounds in 27 minutes...nailed his first 3-pointer of the season with 2:23 to go that kept UNM within striking distance • 10 points and four rebounds in the win over No. 21 UConn...made his second 3 of the season and was 3-3 at the FT line • 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks against Idaho • second career double-double with team-high 14 points (6-10 FGs, three dunks) and a career-best 11 rebounds vs. Portland • second straight double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds vs. Mercer...had 12 points and seven rebounds after halftime...tied a career high with two steals and had three blocks • 13 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds in a career-high 36 minutes vs. USC...played more minutes than any other Lobo against the Trojans • team-high 12 points against Valparaiso • 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and five blocks against New Mexico State • foul trouble at New Mexico State limited him to season lows for points (4), rebounds (3) and minutes (20)...eventually fouled out • after scoring just 10 points on 3-12 FGs the previous two games, he broke out with 15 points (6-8 FGs, 1-1 3s), seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal in the 55-54 triumph at No. 8 Cincinnati...his final rejection came on a 3-point try in the closing seconds, thwarting a potential Bearcats' victory...all nine of his second-half points came in a span of less than four minutes as UNM took its first lead of the game at 34-32 • 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds at St. Louis...hit two 3s for the first time this season, and it tied a career best • 23 points - with a pair of 3-pointers for the second straight game - and nine rebounds in 31 minutes in the win over (24/19) UNLV...his seven FGs came from five different spots on the floor...scored 16 in the first half...set a career high with 10 FT attempts and tied a career best with seven FTs made • fourth double-double of the season with 19 points and 14 rebounds against Fresno State...also two blocks and two steals • 10 points and seven rebounds before fouling out in OT at Boise State...season-lows with one FG made and four FG attempts, but he made all eight of his FTs, setting a career high...eight points and five rebounds in the second half and 4-4 from the line in OT • despite battling an illness and not practicing, he played 21 minutes against Colorado State, scoring three points with three rebounds • only one FG (1-8) for the third straight game, plus six rebounds and three blocks in 30 minutes at (25) San Diego State • 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in 33 minutes at Wyoming • six points, four rebounds and five blocks in 29 minutes vs. Nevada • tied for team honors with 14 points (6-8 FGs, 1-1 3s) against Air Force, plus eight rebounds and a block in 24 minutes • fifth double-double of the season with 17 points (7-11 FGs), a career-high 16 rebounds and two blocks in 31 minutes at UNLV...40 points and 25 boards in two games vs. the Runnin' Rebels this season • 10 points (4-13 FGs, 2-5 FTs), nine rebounds and a career-high six blocks in 32 minutes at Fresno State • six points (1-7 FGs), a game-high 12 boards and three blocks against Boise State • sixth double-double of the season with 19 points (8-12 FGs, 3-3 FTs), 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in 32 minutes in the win at (22/21) Colorado State • season-high 25 points, highlighted by making all of his career-best 3 3-pointers and 6-6 FTs, plus against San Diego State...added seven rebounds, equaled a career high with three assists and had three blocks in 33 minutes • team-high 15 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the win over Wyoming in The Pit • seventh double-double of the season with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks at Nevada...had seven points and six rebounds after halftime...tied a career high for the second straight game with 36 minutes played • 16 points and 11 rebounds at Air Force for his eighth double-double of the year...made 8-11 FGs, and added a career-high tying three assists in a team-high 35 minutes • ninth double-double of the season with 22 points and 12 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament against Harvard...attempted a career-high 18 shots from the floor.
2011-12 • SOPHOMORE
Redshirted after surgery for a herniated disc in his back
2010-11 • FRESHMAN
• Started the first 18 games - and 21 of the first 22 - in the post, but was a reserve the final 13 games • MWC's No. 2 freshman rebounder at 3.7 rpg • 126 total boards is seventh-most in a season by a Lobo freshman • second on the team with 20 blocks while averaging 15 minutes a game • 8.1 ppg and 5.4 rpg in 15 regular season non-conference games, but 2.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 11.5 minutes in MWC contests • Just 21 points his final 16 games, and scoreless in nine of them • two points and five rebounds in nine minutes against UTEP in the NIT first round • it was his most rebounds in 10 games, since five at Colorado State on Feb. 12 • two points and three boards in eight minutes at Alabama in the NIT • nine points and a career-high four blocks against Colorado State Jan. 12 • Scintillating performance against Cal State Bakersfield with a UNM freshman record 31 points on 11-13 FGs, 2-3 3s and 7-8 FTs in just 21 minutes • the previous mark was 30 points by Kenny Thomas against Utah in the 1996 WAC Tournament championship game • tied an MWC freshman record (SDSU's Evan Burns vs. UNM in 2003 and Wyoming's Desmar Jackson vs. Utah in 2010) • Seven points and eight rebounds in 23 minutes at Dayton • 10 points in 24 minutes at Texas Tech • scored eight in the second half and was 4-4 from the FT line • Six points and a career-high-tying 10 rebounds against Colorado in Las Vegas...had nine boards in the first half • Six points, four rebounds and a career-high three blocks in 18 minutes vs. The Citadel • Eight points and a team-high seven rebounds at Cal • Got off to an historic beginning in the opener against Detroit, becoming the first UNM freshman to register a double-double (10-10) in his Lobo debut
HIGH SCHOOL
A 2010 graduate of Los Alamos (N.M.) HS • Rated No. 97 overall prospect and the seventh-best center in the ESPNU 100 entering his senior season • Three-time first team all-state pick with three-year averages of 23.8 points, 12.7 rebounds and 6.7 blocks • Played in the Jack Jones Shootout in Memphis, Tenn., the Academic All-American Classic in Los Angeles and the New Mexico North/South game in July of 2010 • New Mexico Gatorade player of the year and district 2AAAA Player of the Year as a senior when he averaged 25.2 points, 13.7 rebounds and an astounding 8.1 blocks per game for the Hilltoppers • Shot 61% from the floor and 76% from the line • Averaged 27.6 points, 14.2 rebounds, 7 blocks and 3 assists as a junior
PERSONAL
Born Nov. 14, 1991, in Los Alamos • Full name is Alex Ryan Kirk • Son of Alan and Pat Kirk • Interested in business as a major but is currently undecided
New Mexico Lobos on Facebook