ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – The New Mexico men’s basketball team will begin play in the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday with a first round matchup against Marquette. The 10th-seeded Lobos and 7th-seeded Golden Eagles will tip-off at 7:25 pm ET (5:25 pm MT) at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, with the game airing on TBS, Westwood One Radio and the Lobo Radio Network.

The Lobos are 26-7 this season and earned an at-large selection to the tournament. UNM won the Mountain West regular season title with a 17-3 conference record, tying the conference record for wins in a season. New Mexico is led by Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent, who is the only player in the nation averaging over 20 points and six assists per game this season. All-Mountain West first team selection Nelly Junior Joseph is one of 11 players nationally averaging a double-double this season with 14.0 points and a conference-leading 11.2 rebounds per game.

Marquette is 23-10 this season, posting a 13-7 record in the Big East. The Golden Eagles are coming off a trip to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament, falling to eventual champion St. John’s 79-63. All-American Kam Jones leads Marquette, averaging 19.3 points and 5.9 assists per game.

The game will be the second ever meeting between New Mexico and Marquette, with the Lobos having won the lone previous meeting, 75-68, in 2013-14 in Las Vegas.

New Mexico is making its 17th NCAA Tournament appearance, and its second consecutive appearance. The Lobos are 8-17 all-time in March Madness and are looking for their first win in the Big Dance since a first round win over Long Beach State in 2012.

The winner of the game will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday against the winner of the matchup of No. 2 seed Michigan State and No. 15 seed Bryant. Game time and TV network for that contest in Cleveland will be announced Friday night following the conclusion of the first round games.