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As expected, new Lobos coach Steve Alford is bringing assistant coach Craig Neal along for the ride in Albuquerque.

Alford this afternoon announced Neal - his top assistant for the past three seasons at Iowa - will become the associate head coach for the University of New Mexico men's basketball program.

Neal is slated to make $250,000 a year, more than twice the salary of previous coach Ritchie McKay's top assistant coach.

Before coaching at Iowa, Neal, 43, spent eight seasons with the Toronto Raptors as an assistant.

Alford had not said who might come with him from Iowa, but speculation was rampant in coaching circles that Neal would follow him.

Neal, like Alford an Indiana high school star, played his college ball at Georgia Tech. He also played for a time in the NBA with Portland, Miami and Denver.

Neal and his wife, Janet, have two sons, Cullen and Dalton.