UNM fan pushes UNLV player

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The Pit was packed as the Lobo Men's Basketball team took on the UNLV Rebels in the Mountain West Conference opener Wednesday night.

It was a heated top 25 battle and as always the cherry and silver fans came ready to howl.

"We have the best fans they give us the best home court advantage around and they're a very knowledgeable fan base, they're smart," said Frank Mercogliano with UNM Athletics Communications.

However, one fan made what UNM and many others are calling a dumb decision.

As UNLV's Guard Anthony Marshall made a play for the ball in the second half he stumbled out of bounds and an unruly fan made a play of his own, pushing Marshall.

According to online reports that fan is Daniel Romero, a 2006 Belen High School Grad and a UNLV Grad.

On a Facebook post a couple of years ago Romero said he is all about UNLV, expect when they are playing the Lobos.

"I think he knew as soon as he did it oops, I should not have done that," Mercogliano said.

The fan was immediately ejected from the game.

UNM Athletics told News 13 Thursday the fan went too far and his little shove could cost him.

"Probably the biggest thing would be to suspend that person from or ban them from entering The Pit for an undetermined length of time, maybe a game, maybe the year," Mercogliano said.

Whatver happens his 'pit push' lives on.

Immediately after the push he started trending on Twitter with people identifying the mystery fan.

Then Thursday the shove went national hitting USA Today and other media outlets.

"While we want our place to be a real hard place for opponents to play we also want it to be a safe place for opponents to play so we take it very seriously obviously," said Mercogliano.

As of Thursday afternoon Mercogliano said they were still trying to figure out who those seats the fan was sitting in belong to.

He said they should have a decision about his punishment by Friday.