No. 6 Clemson plays No. 11 New Mexico in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Friday. Don’t let the seeds fool you, as the Lobos are favored to win this West Region game at Fed Ex Forum in Memphis.

The Tigers (21-11) enter their 14th NCAA Tournament with a signature road win over No. 1 seed North Carolina this season. The Lobos (26-9) boast the highest scoring offense in the Mountain West Conference at 81.7 points per game.

Clemson’s dropped three of its last four games including a 76-55 defeat to Boston College in the ACC Tournament.  

Let’s get to New Mexico vs. Clemson odds and an ATS prediction for Friday’s March Madness matchup.

New Mexico vs. Clemson odds

Here’s a look at live odds for New Mexico vs. Clemson at  top-rated sportsbooks:

New Mexico is riding a four-game winning streak. That included a 68-61 win over San Diego State in the Mountain West Tournament championship game. A record six Mountain West teams made the NCAA Tournament including San Diego State, which lost to UConn in last year’s national championship game. Only five ACC teams are participating in March Madness 2024. 

 How to bet on UNC March Madness odds at NC Sportsbooks | How to bet on Duke March Madness odds at NC sportsbooks

Three betting trends to watch 

• Clemson has two intriguing betting trends to watch heading into this matchup. The Tigers are 6-1 ATS as an underdog this season. On the flip side, Clemson is 1-3 ATS in neutral site games.  
• New Mexico not only won all four of its conference tournament games. It also covered ATS in all four contests.
• The Lobos went UNDER in all four Mountain West Tournament games. When it comes to totals, the Lobos are 17-17 overall on the season.

New Mexico key players

The Lobos have four players averaging double-digits in point production.

• Jaelen House (16.9 ppg)
• Jamal Mashburn Jr. (14.4 ppg)
• Donovan Dent (14.3 ppg)
• JT Toppin (12.5 ppg)

House and Toppin are also standouts on the defensive end of the floor. House leads the Mountain West with steals on the season at 70. Nobody had more blocks in conference play than Toppin with 66. 

Clemson key players

Center P.J. Hall is one of the best big men in the ACC. The senior center averages a team-high 18.8 points per game. He also leads the Tigers with 1.6 blocks per game.

Syracuse transfer Joe Girard III follows with 15.7 points per game. Girard led all ACC players with a 95.4% shooting percentage from the free-throw line. Backcourt mate Chase Hunter is the only other Tiger scoring in double figures at 12.3 ppg.

Best individual matchup: P.J. Hall vs. Nelly Junior Joseph 

This will be a fun battle to watch between the opposing centers. At 6-foot-10, Hall is adept at scoring in the low block and from behind the arc. Junior Joseph will have to be able to shadow him in both spots, but Toppin might be matched up on Hall at times, too.  

Hall’s made 48 3-pointers on 31.6% shooting from long range. He’s blocked 50 shots on the season. Junior Joseph averages 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds.

Hall was dominant in Clemson’s 80-76 road win at UNC. Going up against the ACC’s top big man in Armando Bacot, Hall scored a game-high 25 points and hauled in nine rebounds. If he has another game like that on Friday, Clemson will be tough to beat.   

New Mexico vs. Clemson stat to know

It’s been awhile since New Mexico has competed in March Madness. The Lobos last participated in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Check out this stat: New Mexico is 17-1 SU in games when the Lobos have score 80+ points this season.

Clemson yields just 71.3 points per game. This game could come down to New Mexico’s ability to thrive with its up-tempo offense that led the MWC in scoring this season. 

Third-year coach Richard Pitino’s team also benefits from depth. New Mexico’s rotation includes eight players who average 17+ minutes per game. 

New Mexico vs. Clemson ATS prediction

New Mexico is a trendy sleeper pick after the Lobos won the MWC Tournament in a conference that’s been solid this season. Conversely, Clemson has buckled of late and it’s coming off a bad loss to Boston College and early exit from the ACC Tournament. The Lobos are the lowest NCAA Tournament seed to be favored, but we’re backing Clemson.

Prediction: Clemson 75, New Mexico 71. Clemson (+2.5) covers in a game that goes UNDER the total (149)

Bet on New Mexico vs. Clemson odds at North Carolina sports betting sites

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