Newswise — The University of New Mexico Women’s Basketball team will generously pay tribute to the courageous women battling breast cancer in our state as they have year after year. Along with the support of UNM Cancer Center, UNM Hospitals and UNM Athletics, the Lady Lobos will face the University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack on Valentine’s Day for the annual “Lobos Love Pink” basketball game for breast cancer awareness.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 1,450 New Mexican women will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in 2014 and that 260 will die from the disease. Second to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. It is the leading cause of cancer death among women of all races and populations.

The UNM Cancer Center will host an invitation-only pre-game reception for breast cancer survivors and their family and friends. “Our breast cancer patients constantly show us their tremendous courage,” says Cheryl Willman, MD, Director and CEO of the UNM Cancer Center. “It is a privilege to publicly recognize these amazing women. We thank the Lobo Women’s basketball team for their support and participation.”

The UNM Cancer Center, UNM Hospitals and Lobo Women’s Basketball team will also honor all New Mexico breast cancer survivors with a ceremony during half-time. Those attending this symbolic game are encouraged to wear pink, as a gesture of support and respect for all women fighting breast cancer.

About the “Lobos Love Pink” UNM Women’s Basketball GameThe Lady Lobos will face the University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack at WisePies Arena (the “Pit”), 1111 University Boulevard Southeast, Albuquerque, NM 87106. Tip-off is Saturday, February 14, 2014, at 2:00 pm. Wear pink to support and honor all those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.For tickets, call 800-955-HOWL or 505-925-LOBO or visit http://www.golobos.com/tickets/.

About the UNM Cancer CenterThe UNM Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in the state. One of just 68 premier NCI-Designated Cancer Centers nationwide, the UNM Cancer Center is recognized for its scientific excellence, contributions to cancer research, the delivery of high quality, state of the art cancer diagnosis and treatment to all New Mexicans, and its community outreach programs statewide. Annual federal and private funding of over $71 million supports the UNM Cancer Center’s research programs. The UNM Cancer Center treats more than 60 percent of the adults and virtually all of the children in New Mexico affected by cancer, from every county in the state. It is home to New Mexico’s largest team of board-certified oncology physicians and research scientists, representing every cancer specialty and hailing from prestigious institutions such as M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, and the Mayo Clinic. Through its partnership with Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, the UNM Cancer Center brings world-class cancer care to the southern part of the state; its collaborative clinical programs in Santa Fe and Farmington serve northern New Mexico and it is developing new collaborative programs in Alamogordo and in Roswell/Carlsbad. The UNM Cancer Center also supports several community outreach programs to make cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment available to every New Mexican. Learn more at www.cancer.unm.edu.