In 1987–88 the Lobos were led by Charlie Thomas, a junior transfer from Wake Forest (17 points and 7.5 rebounds a game), and senior Greene (16.8 points, 6.8 rebounds). The team tallied early wins over UCLA, Ohio State, and at Texas before hosting #1 Arizona, led by All-Americans Sean Elliott and Steve Kerr. The Lobos jumped out to a 25–9 lead before the Wildcats chiseled away at the lead, cutting it to two late in the game. Elliott had an opportunity to put Arizona in the lead with a three-pointer with seconds remaining, but Greene blocked the shot to seal the win, the only time the Lobos have beaten a #1-ranked opponent. A week later the Lobos beat #5 Wyoming at The Pit, pushing them to 14–3 and earning a #19 ranking, their first appearance in the polls since Lobogate. They fell into a 6–10 slide, however, including 1–9 on the road, a chronic weakness of the Lobos under Colson, whose teams compiled a 24–65 record in road games. The Lobos again returned to the NIT, beating Pepperdine and Oregon before losing in the quarter-finals to Ohio State, a team they had beaten earlier in the season, finishing with a 22–14 record. Greene completed his career as the only Lobo ever to surpass 1,500 points, 600 rebounds, 300 assists, and 200 steals, averaging 16 points and six rebounds a game as a Lobo.