Rolling into Cleveland to the lake: UNM takes on Smart, Marquette in NCAA 1st Round

Mountain West Conference Player of the Year Donvoan Dent celebrates with teammates during a game against Boise State in The Pit. The Lobos are dancing for the second consecutive year in over a decade. Courtesy of UNM Athletics

The UNM men’s basketball team received a No. 10 seed in the South Region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the NCAA Selection Committee announced on Sunday.

The Lobos will play the No. 7 seed Marquette Golden Eagles in the first round on March 21 in Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

UNM head men’s basketball coach Richard Pitnio said he told his team after the selection to not take it for granted.

“Only 19 percent of college basketball gets to play in this tournament,” Pitino said.

UNM (26-7, 17-3 Mountain West Conference) is making their 17th NCAA Tournament appearance and first back-to-back appearance since 2012 and 2013.

UNM had one of its best seasons in over a decade with a MWC regular season championship to add to notable personal honors.

Junior point guard Donovan Dent won MWC Player of the Year. Pitino won the league’s Coach of the Year, while Nelly Junior Joseph, Tru Washington and Dent were named to All-MWC teams.

Despite a first round win over SJSU in the MWC Tournament, UNM lost to Boise State 72-69 in the semifinals on March 14.

Marquette (23-10) went 13-7 in the Big East this season and is coming off a 79-63 loss to St. John’s in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. 

It’s back-to-back Pitnio sightings for Marquette. Richard’s father, Rick Pitino, is the head coach of St. John’s.

“We’ll dive into the particulars of who they are offensively and defensively,” Marquette head coach Shaka Smart said.

MU and UNM might feature one of the best guard match ups in the first round with Marquette’s Kam Jones and Dent. Both are All-Americans and rank in the top 25 nationally in assist rate.

Dent is the first player in MWC history to average 20 points and six assists in league play.

NEXT UP: No. 10 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 10 Marquette

Time: Friday, 5:25 p.m.

Location: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio

Listen: Lobo Radio Network (96.3 FM/770 AM)

Watch: TBS

Betting info: Spread: Marquette -3.5, O/U 151, Money Line: UNM +145 (Consesus Odds from Action Network)

HISTORY: UNM and Marquette have played once. It was a 75-68 Lobos’ victory in Las Vegas during the 2013-14 season.