The No. 5 seed in the West Region Memphis Tigers(29-5) are preparing to face No. 12 seed Colorado State Rams(25-9) in the 1st Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place Friday afternoon in Seattle, Washington.
The Tigers are looking to keep a great season going in their third NCAA Tournament over the last four years. They lost to FAU in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Colorado State has also made the tourney in three of the last four seasons. The Rams are looking for their first tournament win since 2013. Who wins this marquee matchup?
Memphis Tigers Season Summary
This has been the best season of the Penny Hardaway era with Memphis. The Tigers were great in the American Conference and escaped with a conference tournament victory. The team has won 15 of their last 16 games heading into Friday’s contest. Memphis has a great offense. They are 37th in points scored, 47th in field goal percentage, and 19th in three-point percentage.
The team’s defense has not been as strong. They are 220th in points allowed, 74th in opposing field goal percentage, and 97th in opposing three-point percentage. The team’s leading scorer is Guard PJ Haggerty. He is third in the nation averaging 21.8 points per game. The Tigers need him to continue playing at this level to reach their full potential.
Colorado State Season Summary
The Rams had a strong regular season and won the Mountain West Championship. They are playing their best ball heading into the NCAA Tournament with 10 straight wins. Their offense has been stellar. They are 137th in points scored, 34th in field goal percentage, and 56th in three-point percentage.
Colorado State’s defense has also been strong. They are 45th in points allowed, 85th in opposing field goal percentage, and 146th in opposing three-point percentage. Guard Nique Clifford is their best player. He leads the team in many statistical categories and is 13th in the nation in rebounding.
Final Thoughts
5/12 upsets are fairly common in the NCAA Tournament, and the spread says Colorado State should win this game. They are a slight favorite. This game should be one of the closest in the 1st Round. Both teams are playing great heading to Seattle, but something has to give. Basketball fans everywhere should be treated to a great contest Friday afternoon.
