The 11^th-seed New Mexico Lobos (26-9) face the sixth-seed Clemson Tigers (21-11) in the first round of the Men’s Basketball Championship West Region on Friday, March 22 at 3:10 PM ET at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. The Lobos are slight favorites to succeed, with a point spread of -1.5 (-120).

The Lobos had won their last four games before entering this tournament, which shows their excellent momentum. Their most recent win was a 68-61 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs in the Mountain West Championship Final. 

Jaelen House takes care of their primary offense when scoring. He leads them with 16.1 points and 37.7 percent shooting from the field. If he can make it to the foul line often, this will benefit the team, as he makes 88.4 percent of his foul shots.

The Lobos surprised everyone with the conference championship, ranking sixth with a 10-8 record. Their offense has been great, with 81.7 points per game, which ranks 21^st in the nation. Their efficiency could be more crisp, but it still packs a punch, rating 112.6 and 52^nd.

Defensively, they hold teams to 70.5 points per game and rank 132^nd. Their efficiency on the defensive end is quite appealing, as they rank 30^th with a rating of 97.2.

The Tigers have lost their last two games and arguably could have had a better position in the tournament if they had won more in the ACC Tournament. Their most recent defeat was a 76-55 blowout to the Boston College Eagles in the second round of the ACC Tournament.

PJ Hall has been crucial to their chances of winning each game. He leads with 18.8 points and 6.7 rebounds and makes 49.2 percent of his shots from the field, which means they will likely rely on him early to get things going.

Their offense scores 77.4 points per game and ranks 77^th. Their efficiency ranks 35^th with a rating of 113.7, which is more appealing than their points per game.

The Tigers’ defense allows 71.3 points a game and ranks 161^st in the nation. They lack a bit on the defensive end, with a defensive efficiency of 104.8 and ranking 202^nd.

MyBookie has the odds available for this matchup, with the New Mexico Lobos as potentially 1.5-point favorites to win. However, market analysis indicates the Tigers have a 62.0 percent chance of succeeding. The Lobos look more appealing on paper to get the job done.