The No. 7 seed in the East Region Marquette Golden Eagles(23-10) are set to take on No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos(26-7) in the 1st Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The game will take place in Cleveland, Ohio Friday evening.
Marquette is looking to build upon a trip to the Sweet Sixteen in last year’s tournament. New Mexico lost in the 1st Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. These teams are both solid. That should make this contest a close one. Who wins?
Marquette Season Summary
Marquette had a strong season in the Big East but faltered down the stretch. They lost three of their last four games heading into this matchup. The Golden Eagles do not have a strong offense. They are 96th in points scored, 184th in field goal percentage, and 268th in three-point percentage.
Defense has been the team’s calling card. They are 73rd in points allowed, 168th in opposing field goal percentage, and 77th in three-point percentage. Guard Kam Jones is Marquette’s best player. He is 33rd in the nation in points per game and 21st in assists. He is playing his best ball of the season averaging 28 points per game over the last three contests.
New Mexico Season Summary
The Lobos were the best team in the Mountain West. Unfortunately they could not cap it off with a tournament title. They lost to Boise State in the Mountain West Semifinals. New Mexico has a stellar offense. They are 26th in points scored, 113th in field goal percentage, and 137th in three-point percentage.
Their defense has been mediocre. They are 142nd in points allowed, 118th in field goal percentage, and 209th in opposing three-point percentage. New Mexico’s best players are Guard Donovan Dent and Center Nelly Junior Joseph. Dent is eighth in the nation in points and 12th in assists. Joseph is the No. 3 rebounder in the country.
Final Thoughts
Marquette’s offense will struggle to find its footing against the Lobos defense. The Golden Eagles defense must be at its best to contend with New Mexico’s offense. Marquette is a slight favorite, but the game on Friday can go either way.
