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Marquette Vs. New Mexico 1st Round Preview | 2025 NCAA Tournament
- Odds: Marquette -3.5
- Date: Friday, March 21
- Time: 7:25 p.m. ET 5:25 MST
- TV: TBS
- Arena: Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Ohio
Lobos Face Marquette in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday
The No. 7 seed Marquette Golden Eagles (23-10) and the No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos (26-7) will meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 7:25 p.m. ET. The contest airs on TBS.
Lobos Face Marquette in NCAA Tournament First Round Friday
Albuquerque, N.M. – The New Mexico Lobos (26-7) are set to take on the Marquette Golden Eagles (23-10) in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday night in Cleveland.
The 10th-seeded Lobos and 7th-seeded Golden Eagles will tip off at 7:25 p.m. ET (5:25 p.m. MT) at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, with the game airing on TBS, Westwood One Radio, and the Lobo Radio Network.
New Mexico secured an at-large bid after an impressive season that saw them win the Mountain West regular-season title with a 17-3 conference record, tying a league record for wins in a season.
photo courtesy of ESPN
Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent leads the Lobos, ranking in the top 15 nationally in scoring (20.6 PPG) and assists (6.4 APG).
All-Mountain West First Team selection 6’10 240 Nelly Junior Joseph is one of 11 players nationally averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and a conference-best 11.2 rebounds per game.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Richard Pitino, the Lobos have cemented themselves as a powerhouse, blending one of the nation’s most up-tempo offenses with relentless defensive intensity—evidenced by their stellar 26-7 record.
Photo Courtesy of UNM Athletics
The New Mexico Lobos basketball team plays among college basketball teams at the fourth-fastest tempo in the NCAA.
They rank 79th in adjusted offensive efficiency, averaging 112.5 points per 100 possessions. With an average possession length of 15.1 seconds, they have the fifth-fastest pace in the nation.
New Mexico is dancing into March Madness for the second consecutive year as an at-large selection compared to last year’s triumphant run as Mountain West Tournament champions in Las Vegas, winning four games to become automatic qualifiers.
Despite the departure of key players like Jamal Mashburn Jr., Jaelen House, and JT Toppin (who transferred to Texas Tech), Coach Pitino and his staff have orchestrated a remarkable season, reloading rather than rebuilding. Their ability to sustain excellence speaks volumes about the program’s direction and resilience.
photo courtesy of UNM Athletics
The Lobos also rely on key contributions from Mustapha Amzil (11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG), Tru Washington (11.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.1 SPG), and C.J. Noland (8.0 PPG), making them a well-rounded offensive force.
Marquette enters the tournament after finishing fourth in the Big East with a 13-7 conference record.
The Golden Eagles reached the Big East Tournament semifinals before falling to eventual champion St. John’s.
photo courtesy (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
All-American Kam Jones headlines Marquette’s offense, averaging 19.3 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game. At the same time, David Joplin (13.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG) and defensive standout Stevie Mitchell (10.9 PPG, 2.3 SPG) provide key support.
Mitchell, a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award, is expected to guard Dent.
This marks only the second all-time meeting between New Mexico and Marquette, with the Lobos winning the previous matchup 75-68 in 2013-14.
The Lobos are making their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance and their second straight, aiming for their first tournament win since 2012.
Marquette, meanwhile, is making its fourth consecutive tournament appearance under head coach Shaka Smart, seeking to build on last year’s Sweet 16 run.
This game sets up a strategic clash of styles. Marquette excels with disciplined defense and careful ball control, ranking 30th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Meanwhile, New Mexico counters with a high-powered offense, ranking 26th in scoring.
The Golden Eagles have struggled offensively down the stretch, losing three of their last four games and ranking 96th in points scored.
Photo Courtesy of ESPN
The Lobos boast one of the most dynamic scoring duos in the country, with Donovan Dent and big post player Nelly Jr Joseph.
Dent made the Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention team, being one of the top vote-getters outside of the 15 players named to the first, second, and third teams.
Kam Jones (Marquette) vs. Donovan Dent (New Mexico)
Two of the nation’s most electrifying point guards—Donovan Dent and Kam Jones—set to clash in the Round of 64.
Photo Courtesy of Forthewin.com
Dent got his first taste of the NCAA Tournament last season as part of a stacked Lobos backcourt. Now, it’s his show.
The Mountain West Player of the Year has thrived as the focal point, putting up 20.6 points and 6.4 assists per game.
He’s a true floor general, breaking down defenses with elite playmaking while finishing at the rim with either hand.
Jones, a projected first-round NBA pick, has taken over Marquette’s offense after Tyler Kolek’s departure, and he’s been a must-watch.
His assist numbers have skyrocketed—doubling from 2.4 to 5.9 per game—but his scoring remains the main attraction.
Photo Courtesy of Marquette Athletic Department
A Second Team All-American, Jones has deep-range heat-check ability and the skill set to torch defenders in the lane, drawing comparisons to Jalen Brunson.
This matchup could swing what should be a tight battle between New Mexico and Marquette. Two stars. One game. Let’s see who shines brightest.
Adding intrigue to the matchup is the connection between Lobos head coach Richard Pitino and his father, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, whose team went 3-0 against Marquette this season, including a 79-63 win in the Big East Tournament semifinals.
I’ve watched Marquette three times because of St John’s, so I’ve got a high level of respect for them,” Richard Pitino said on Sunday when talking to local media about the matchup.
Photo Courtesy of NBC Sports
The winner of Friday’s matchup will face either No. 2 seed Michigan State or No. 15 seed Bryant in the second round on Sunday.
Michigan State eliminated Marquette in last year’s tournament, and a potential rematch could be looming.
With both teams eyeing a deep tournament run, expect a battle of experience versus firepower in this highly anticipated first-round clash.
Marquette vs. New Mexico Breakdown
One of the most exciting individual battles in the opening round features Marquette’s standout point guard Kam Jones going head-to-head with New Mexico’s floor general Donovan Dent.
Both All-Americans play pivotal roles in their teams’ success and rank among the nation’s top 25 in assist rate.
With their strong ball-handling skills and aggressive defensive pressure, both squads excel at winning the turnover battle.
As a result, the outcome of this game may hinge on which team can impose its will in that aspect, but this will be exciting to watch from a fan’s perspective.
In my experience, I’ve observed star players who face huge expectations, both in their prospecting fan bases, that they will get their points in heavy-weight fights exchanging punches each round or periods in this case.
Where the game is usually won, in that case, is the role players who come off the bench to hit the shots when the coach calls a play to them. There is no warming up if you want to win
Role players like Tru Washington, Mustapha Amzil, CJ Noland, and Braden Appelhans will be huge for the Lobos; they must contribute to their team and, at the very least, not hurt Richard Pitinos Lobos in this big game.
Every mistake, such as turnovers, missed passes, or a lack of situational awareness, is magnified significantly in these big games. Smart teams win the big games; that’s the bottom line.
I also think for New Mexico to win this game and potentially make a run in the tournament, they have have Nelly Jr Joseph play the most physical game has played and score at the very least his average of double digits and rebounds.
The Golden Eagles have recently faced—and held their own against—St. John’s is another team known for its defensive pressure.
On the other hand, New Mexico hasn’t encountered anything quite like Marquette’s relentless defense throughout Mountain West play.
Utah State is the only team in the conference ranked in the top 40 for defensive turnover rate, and the Aggies achieve that through a zone scheme.
Marquette, however, can deploy elite perimeter defenders like Chase Ross and Stevie Mitchell to hound Dent, potentially stifling the Lobos’ potent offense.
Look for some heavy pressure on Donovan Dent to help slow down this Lobo offense. The Lobos will rely heavily on both the bench and post-production for them to have a chance to get their first win of the tournament.
This one has all the makings of a classic. Dent’s craft and control against Jones’ dynamic scoring will be a must-watch battle, with both guards capable of taking over at any moment.
In a game that could come down to just a few possessions, whichever star shines brighter might be the one leading their team into the next round. Buckle up—this one’s going to be fun.
You can bet Donovan Dent is looking to showcase his skills at another level, knowing that the person he is going up against, Kam Jones, is a potential 1st round draft pick, to help not only his team win but up his basketball worth for future NBA play as well.
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