New Mexico vs. Marquette March Madness Preview and Prediction
In the No. 10 vs. No. 7 matchup in the NCAA Tournament South Region, the New Mexico Lobos face the Marquette Golden Eagles in first-round action.
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How to Watch New Mexico vs. Marquette
When: 7:25 p.m. ET on Friday, March 21st
Where: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
Watch: TBS
Odds for New Mexico vs. Marquette
(odds current at time of publish)
Spread: Marquette -3.5 (-110), New Mexico +3.5 (-110)
Total: Over 151.5 (-110), Under 151.5 (-110)
DraftKings Betting Splits | Live College Basketball Odds | New Mexico vs. Marquette Matchup Page
New Mexico vs. Marquette Preview & Prediction
The stage is set for an intriguing first-round matchup in the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the No. 7 seed Marquette Golden Eagles face off against the No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos in Cleveland on Friday. This clash promises to be a battle of similar styles, with both teams known for their aggressive defensive approaches and ability to force turnovers.
Marquette, led by head coach Shaka Smart, enters the tournament with a 23-10 record and a 13-7 mark in the Big East. The Golden Eagles have shown improvement in ball security this season while maintaining their trademark “havoc” style of defense. However, their offensive efficiency has taken a hit, particularly in 3-point shooting where they rank in the 230s nationally. Despite this, Marquette’s defense has made strides, posting their best effective field goal percentage defense in the last three seasons.
On the other side, New Mexico comes in as the Mountain West regular season champions with a 26-7 record. The Lobos, coached by Richard Pitino, boast a top-20 defense according to advanced metrics, excelling in generating turnovers and defensive rebounding. However, their offense has been a point of concern, with below-average shooting percentages from both 2-point and 3-point range. New Mexico’s strategy revolves around attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line, as evidenced by their high rate of close 2-point attempts.
Key players to watch include Marquette’s Kam Jones and New Mexico’s Mountain West Player of the Year, Donovan Dent. Their performances could well determine the outcome of this closely-matched game. Marquette’s superior 3-point shooting volume might give them a slight edge, but if their shots aren’t falling, New Mexico’s interior-focused offense could prove decisive.
This game has the potential to be a closely contested affair, with the winner likely facing a tough test against Michigan State in the second round. As the teams prepare to clash in Cleveland, basketball fans can anticipate an exciting, defense-driven battle that could come down to the wire. Given the way both of these teams get after it defensively, perhaps a look to the Under makes sense. The total in this game is pretty high for a game involving two teams that want to disrupt one another.
Estimated Score: Marquette 77.8, New Mexico 74.3
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