Marquette Men’s Basketball to Begin NCAA Tournament Against New Mexico
The Marquette University men’s basketball team (23-10, 13-7 BIG EAST) will kick off its 2025 NCAA tournament journey by going up against New Mexico (26-7, 17-3 MWC) on Friday, March 21 at 6:35 p.m. CT at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Golden Eagles are seeded 7th in the South Region, while the Lobos hold the 10th seed. The victor of this match will proceed to compete against the winner of the Michigan State-Bryant game on Sunday, March 23.
Marquette’s 37th NCAA Tournament Appearance
This year marks Marquette’s 37th participation in the NCAA tournament, and it’s their fourth consecutive appearance, which is the first time they’ve achieved this since the 2012-13 season. The university secured a national championship in 1977 under the iconic coach Al McGuire, boasting 17 Sweet Sixteen appearances (the latest being in 2023-24) and three Final Four trips (in 1974, 1977, and 2003).
Previous Matchup Against New Mexico
Marquette faced New Mexico once before, losing 75-68 on December 21, 2013, at the MGM Grand Showcase in Las Vegas. Historically, the Golden Eagles have a 1-2 record as a No. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, with their last opening-round defeat being a 90-85 loss to 10th-seeded Alabama in the 2006 tournament.
Last Cleveland Postseason Adventure
Marquette’s previous postseason visit to Cleveland during the 2010-11 season led to their first of three consecutive Sweet 16 runs, culminating in an Elite Eight appearance during the 2012-13 season after defeating both Xavier and Syracuse as the No. 11 seed in the East Region.
Successful Continuity Contributes to Achievements
Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Marquette has not signed any NCAA Division I transfers, which has helped maintain a consistent starting lineup. As of March 16, Marquette is one of just two teams, alongside St. Mary’s College, that has retained the same starting five (Jones, Mitchell, Joplin, Ross, Gold) throughout the season. The Golden Eagles and Marshall were the only teams in the nation to keep the same starting lineup during the entire previous season.
Challenging Game Schedule Prepares Team
Marquette has faced 13 teams this season that are also represented in the 2025 NCAA tournament. Among these, five programs (St. John’s, Iowa State, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Purdue) were ranked in the latest Associated Press Top-25 poll. The 11-team BIG EAST Conference features five teams in the tournament, including defending champion UConn.
Individual Achievements Highlight Team Performance
Senior guard Kam Jones earned a spot on the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team, recording an impressive 26.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game over two games. Notably, he also became only the second player in Marquette’s history to reach 2,000 career points, overtaking Jerel McNeal’s previous record. Meanwhile, guard Stevie Mitchell is on the brink of a significant milestone, needing just six points to cross the 1,000-point mark in his career. Senior forward David Joplin is set to break the program record for games played, making his 139th appearance this Friday against New Mexico.
