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Albuquerque, N.M. • Ah, The Pit.

Just the mention of New Mexico's iconic college basketball arena draws strong reactions from former BYU basketball players Jeff Chatman, Mekeli Wesley and Mark Bigelow.

"Bittersweet memories, mostly," said Wesley. "By far the toughest place to play in the country. The fans are right on top of you, and they get in your ear. Boy, do they get in your ear."

And then there's the lasting memory of BYU coach Dave Rose — whose No 9-ranked team will play at the newly renovated, but-just-as-ferocious underground edifice for perhaps the final time on Saturday (2 p.m., Versus). With the Cougars heading to the West Coast Conference, no future BYU-UNM games at The Pit are scheduled, although Rose says he and UNM coach Steve Alford have talked about continuing the series.

Rose was a member of Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma team that was upset by North Carolina State in a 1983 national championship game at The Pit, the only time the arena hosted a Final Four.

"That stays in your mind for a long, long time," said Rose, "especially when you get to March and they start playing it all the time."

New Mexico is mostly unbeatable at The Pit, but if there's one team that has had its share of success at the place, it is BYU. The Cougars are 17-28 there, having last won 70-69 in overtime in Albuquerque in 2008 when one of the poorest free-throw shooters in program history, Trent Plaisted, made a pair with 5.7 seconds remaining.

Danny Ainge won his final two games — 1980 and 1981 — in the building that seats 17,126, while other former Cougar stars never tasted victory at University Arena.

"It got nasty in there at times," Bigelow recalled from his home in Northern California. "But not as bad as everyone said it was. For a player, Utah State was worse, but my family [members] would say The Pit was worse as far as how their fans treated other fans."

Players past and present pretty much point to the same things that set The Pit apart: passionate, vulgar (at times) fans, a man known as "Snake" who sits on the front row near the visiting team's bench and makes throat-slitting gestures at every opportunity, and the long, uphill climb from the floor to the locker room past a sign that says "Welcome to The Pit, a mile high, and louder than ... "

Bigelow was involved in one of the most controversial finishes in the series in 2004 when he was assessed a technical foul for stepping onto the floor after the Cougars' Kevin Woodberry tipped in a rebound to tie the game with 3.8 seconds left. Referee Lonnie Dixon actually had blown his whistle, but denied it at the time, and the call against Bigelow stood. The Lobos missed the two free throws, but still won when Danny Granger beat the buzzer with a layup after a long pass.

"I'm OK with it now," Bigelow said. "What was most troubling, though, is that the referee didn't fess up to it later on, even when replays showed [he blew the whistle]."

Chatman, No. 6 on BYU's all-time scoring list with 1,824 points from 1984-88, says The Pit "was the most electrifying arena that I ever played in."

He recalled that in 1988, an undefeated BYU team beat Tim Hardaway-led UTEP two days earlier and then completed a rare sweep of that road swing with an 89-82 win over the Lobos.

A fan said, "Hey Chatman and [Michael] Smith, you two cry more than Ainge, and you are not half the player, either."

Recalled Chatman: "The fans were there early. .... screaming at us and calling us names. I loved every minute of it because the fans were so passionate about their team."

Wesley, No. 7 on BYU's all-time list with 1,740 points, was part of the biggest upset in the history of The Pit, as least as far as BYU is concerned. The Cougars knocked off the No. 16 Lobos 83-62 in coach Steve Cleveland's first year (1998), after having lost by a record 42 points (74-32) the previous season.

"We played the game of our lives," Wesley said. "Place was dead silent, except for 15 guys in blue. Thought I was dreaming."

The next year, BYU's Bret Jepsen shattered a backboard with a dunk that caused a long delay and eventually killed the Cougars' momentum. New Mexico won, 78-68.

"Really, the fans make it what it is," Wesley said. "You are not hearing things you want to repeat."

Saturday's game marks the fourth trip to The Pit for BYU's talented senior guard tandem of Jackson Emery and Jimmer Fredette; Both won there as freshmen, Emery in 2006 and Fredette in 2008. They said the fans have toned it down a bit in regards to their treatment of visiting players.

Fredette called Lobos fans "clever and fun" after they wore surgical masks to mock his bout with mononucleosis last year.

"Once again, it is one of those atmospheres you love to go and play at, because if you win, it just makes it that much sweeter," Emery said.

drew@sltrib.comTwitter: @drewjay —

Memorable BYU Games

at The Pit

Jan. 27, 2010: New Mexico 76, No. 10 BYU 72 • The Cougars were 20-1, coming off a big win at San Diego State and had won 15 straight games. But the Lobos ended it all as Phillip McDonald made a last-minute three-point play. Jimmer Fredette's three-pointer gave the Cougars a 64-62 lead with three minutes left, but BYU couldn't hold it.

Feb. 26, 2008: No. 25 BYU 70, New Mexico 69 (OT) • Lobos fans dogged BYU's Trent Plaisted the entire night, making fun of his wife's legal issue, but the No. 25 Cougars' center got the last laugh, sinking two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining in overtime to give BYU its third straight win at The Pit.

Jan. 26, 2004: New Mexico 65, BYU 63 • BYU's Kevin Woodberry tipped in a rebound with 3.8 seconds left to tie the game. However, a technical foul was called on the Cougars' Mark Bigelow for leaving the bench, and Danny Granger scored the game-winning layup after a fullcourt pass.

Feb. 26, 1998: BYU 83, No. 16 New Mexico 62 • In coach Steve Cleveland's first year, the Lobos defeated BYU 72-54 a month earlier in Provo and had crushed the Cougars 74-32 in the previous, 1-25 season for BYU. But Justin Weidauer scored 22 points and the Cougars pulled off the huge upset, ending UNM's 41-game home winning streak. "Everyone had a career game," said Mekeli Wesley. —

BYU vs. New Mexico

Overall series record • BYU leads, 74-53

In Albuquerque • New Mexico leads, 33-27

At The Pit • New Mexico leads 28-17

In Provo • BYU leads, 43-16

Under coach Dave Rose • BYU leads, 7-3