No more March Madness for New Mexico as Clemson ousts popular Lobos 77-56
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Chase Hunter scored 21 points and sixth-seeded Clemson ended No. 11 seed New Mexico's hopes of repeating the Mountain West's run in the NCAA Tournament, beating the Lobos 77-56 on Friday.
The Lobos (26-10) came in as the Mountain West Tournament champs, a popular pick to be this tournament's version of San Diego State a year ago and favored by 2 1/2 points in this game, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. New Mexico won its league tournament, beating a trio of teams that also earned March Madness berths including SDSU - last year's national runner-up.
“We heard a lot of talk about that New Mexico was going to beat us, but we were just focused on us,” Hunter said. “We came out with some fire and intensity. They couldn’t handle it in the beginning. We kept it on them. We just kept our poise and our confidence. And we finished this game.”
Clemson (22-11) dominated on both ends, leading by 19 points in the first half and 23 in the second. The Tigers also held New Mexico to its worst shooting performance this season - 29.7% from the field and 13% (3 of 23) from 3-point range.
Tigers coach Brad Brownell said his team worked to keep New Mexico from getting to the rim, and Clemson wound up with a 38-28 scoring edge in the paint.
“We were able to play the game the way we wanted to play it,” Brownell said. “Getting off to a good start was extremely helpful as well.”
New Mexico coach Richard Pitino said he couldn't remember his Lobos making two shots in a row, adding that it felt like the rims were tight.
“Certainly the wrong day to go cold,” Pitino said. “We just couldn’t make a shot. Clemson had a lot to do with that. They’re big, they're disciplined.”
The Tigers will play third-seeded Baylor, a 92-67 winner over 14th-seeded Colgate, in the second round Sunday. A Sweet 16 game in Los Angeles awaits that winner on March 28.
Ian Schieffelin had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Clemson. PJ Hall added 14 points despite foul trouble.
Jamal Mashburn Jr., who followed Pitino from Minnesota to New Mexico, hit a jumper in the opening seconds to give the Lobos their only lead. Mashburn missed his final 10 shots and finished with six points.
Jaelen House, the Lobos' leading scorer, fouled out with 12 points. Nelly Junior Joseph had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Schieffelin hit a jumper to tie it up before Hunter's jumper gave Clemson the lead. New Mexico managed a second tie at 4-all.
Then Clemson took over with a 19-2 run and went ahead 30-11. The Lobos pulled within 38-28 on a 3-pointer by House with 1:22 remaining. Clark made a layup, then added a pair of free throws as Clemson took a 42-28 lead into halftime.
Every time the Lobos tried to string together a run, Clemson answered emphatically.
BIG PICTURE
New Mexico: The Lobos had been the betting favorite to make it a full sweep by 11 seeds in the first round. This was the program's 16th tournament berth and first since 2014. They're stuck on eight wins all-time, the last in 2012. ... New Mexico averaged 46% shooting this season.
Clemson: The Tigers came in having lost three of four and now have their first NCAA Tournament win since 2018. ... They had a 16-6 difference in assists and dominated with a 19-6 scoring edge off turnovers.
UP NEXT
Clemson will try to win a second-round game for the first time since 2018.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | JT Toppin vs. PJ Hall (Jamal Mashburn Jr. gains possession) | |||
19:47 | +2 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. makes two point jump shot (Nelly Junior Joseph assists) | 2-0 | |
19:16 | +2 | Ian Schieffelin makes two point jump shot (Chase Hunter assists) | 2-2 | |
19:05 | Jaelen House turnover (bad pass) | |||
18:54 | +2 | Chase Hunter makes two point layup | 2-4 | |
18:28 | +2 | JT Toppin makes two point hook shot | 4-4 | |
18:02 | JT Toppin blocks Chase Hunter's two point layup | |||
18:00 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. defensive rebound | |||
17:55 | Donovan Dent turnover (bad pass) (PJ Hall steals) | |||
17:46 | +3 | PJ Hall makes three point jump shot (Joseph Girard III assists) | 4-7 | |
17:27 | JT Toppin misses three point jump shot | |||
17:25 | Jack Clark defensive rebound | |||
17:22 | Donovan Dent shooting foul (Jack Clark draws the foul) | |||
17:22 | +1 | Jack Clark makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 4-8 | |
17:22 | +1 | Jack Clark makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 4-9 | |
17:09 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses two point layup | |||
17:07 | Jack Clark defensive rebound | |||
16:54 | Ian Schieffelin misses two point layup | |||
16:52 | Jaelen House defensive rebound | |||
16:46 | +3 | Jaelen House makes three point jump shot | 7-9 | |
16:27 | +2 | Ian Schieffelin makes two point layup (Joseph Girard III assists) | 7-11 | |
16:08 | Joseph Girard III personal foul (JT Toppin draws the foul) | |||
16:07 | TV timeout | |||
16:00 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
15:58 | Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound | |||
15:46 | Mustapha Amzil personal foul | |||
15:29 | Chase Hunter misses two point layup | |||
15:27 | Lobos defensive rebound | |||
15:19 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses two point layup | |||
15:17 | Nelly Junior Joseph offensive rebound | |||
15:13 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point layup | 9-11 | |
15:04 | +3 | PJ Hall makes three point jump shot (Chase Hunter assists) | 9-14 | |
14:48 | Mustapha Amzil misses three point jump shot | |||
14:46 | Joseph Girard III defensive rebound | |||
14:32 | +2 | Ian Schieffelin makes two point layup (Chase Hunter assists) | 9-16 | |
14:18 | Jaelen House misses two point jump shot | |||
14:16 | Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound | |||
14:05 | +2 | Chase Hunter makes two point layup (Jack Clark assists) | 9-18 | |
13:48 | +2 | Donovan Dent makes two point jump shot | 11-18 | |
13:28 | PJ Hall misses two point layup | |||
13:26 | Mustapha Amzil defensive rebound | |||
13:21 | Jaelen House misses three point jump shot | |||
13:19 | Nelly Junior Joseph offensive rebound | |||
13:15 | Nelly Junior Joseph flagrant 1 (PJ Hall draws the foul) | |||
13:15 | Nelly Junior Joseph turnover | |||
13:15 | +1 | PJ Hall makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2 | 11-19 | |
13:15 | +1 | PJ Hall makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2 | 11-20 | |
12:52 | +2 | RJ Godfrey makes two point layup | 11-22 | |
12:32 | JT Toppin misses two point layup | |||
12:30 | Jack Clark defensive rebound | |||
12:21 | Joseph Girard III misses three point jump shot | |||
12:19 | Jaelen House defensive rebound | |||
12:14 | Jaelen House misses two point layup | |||
12:12 | Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound | |||
11:54 | +3 | Joseph Girard III makes three point jump shot (Jack Clark assists) | 11-25 | |
11:37 | Jemarl Baker Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
11:35 | Dillon Hunter defensive rebound | |||
11:32 | Jump ball. Dillon Hunter vs. JT Toppin (Tigers gains possession) | |||
11:32 | TV timeout | |||
11:19 | +2 | PJ Hall makes two point hook shot (Dillon Hunter assists) | 11-27 | |
10:57 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
10:55 | PJ Hall defensive rebound | |||
10:32 | PJ Hall misses three point jump shot | |||
10:30 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
10:15 | Jack Clark blocks JT Toppin's two point hook shot | |||
10:13 | Jack Clark defensive rebound | |||
10:08 | Chauncey Wiggins misses two point jump shot | |||
10:06 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
10:01 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
9:59 | Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound | |||
9:50 | +3 | Joseph Girard III makes three point jump shot | 11-30 | |
9:26 | PJ Hall shooting foul (Nelly Junior Joseph draws the foul) | |||
9:26 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
9:26 | Nelly Junior Joseph misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
9:26 | Chauncey Wiggins defensive rebound | |||
9:05 | PJ Hall misses two point jump shot | |||
9:03 | JT Toppin defensive rebound | |||
8:42 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point jump shot (Jaelen House assists) | 13-30 | |
8:25 | Chase Hunter misses two point jump shot | |||
8:23 | Jack Clark offensive rebound | |||
8:15 | Jaelen House shooting foul (Jack Clark draws the foul) | |||
8:15 | +1 | Jack Clark makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 13-31 | |
8:15 | +1 | Jack Clark makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-32 | |
8:03 | RJ Godfrey shooting foul (Jaelen House draws the foul) | |||
8:03 | +1 | Jaelen House makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 14-32 | |
8:03 | +1 | Jaelen House makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-32 | |
7:56 | TV timeout | |||
7:39 | Joseph Girard III misses two point jump shot | |||
7:37 | Tigers offensive rebound | |||
7:22 | Ian Schieffelin misses two point jump shot | |||
7:20 | Tru Washington defensive rebound | |||
7:05 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point hook shot | 17-32 | |
6:44 | JT Toppin shooting foul (Chase Hunter draws the foul) | |||
6:44 | Chase Hunter misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:44 | Chase Hunter misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
6:44 | Nelly Junior Joseph defensive rebound | |||
6:21 | Jaelen House misses three point jump shot | |||
6:19 | JT Toppin offensive rebound | |||
6:15 | +2 | JT Toppin makes two point layup | 19-32 | |
6:10 | Tigers 30 second timeout | |||
6:10 | TV timeout | |||
5:51 | +2 | PJ Hall makes two point layup | 19-34 | |
5:35 | Jamal Mashburn Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
5:33 | Nelly Junior Joseph offensive rebound | |||
5:29 | Jaelen House misses three point jump shot | |||
5:27 | Lobos offensive rebound | |||
5:23 | Dillon Hunter personal foul (Donovan Dent draws the foul) | |||
5:07 | +2 | Nelly Junior Joseph makes two point hook shot | 21-34 | |
4:52 | PJ Hall offensive foul (Mustapha Amzil draws the foul) | |||
4:52 | PJ Hall turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:40 | +2 | Donovan Dent makes two point jump shot | 23-34 | |
4:23 | +2 | RJ Godfrey makes two point layup | 23-36 | |
4:10 | Jaelen House misses two point jump shot | |||
4:08 | Mustapha Amzil offensive rebound | |||
4:07 | Mustapha Amzil turnover (lost ball) | |||
3:54 | RJ Godfrey misses two point layup | |||
3:52 | Nelly Junior Joseph defensive rebound | |||
3:37 | Mustapha Amzil misses two point hook shot | |||
3:35 | Tigers defensive rebound | |||
3:35 | TV timeout | |||
3:17 | Chase Hunter misses three point jump shot | |||
3:15 | Ian Schieffelin offensive rebound | |||
2:58 | Ian Schieffelin turnover (bad pass) (Tru Washington steals) | |||
2:52 | RJ Godfrey blocks Tru Washington's two point layup | |||
2:50 | Donovan Dent offensive rebound | |||
2:49 | +2 | Donovan Dent makes two point dunk | 25-36 | |
2:35 | Joseph Girard III misses three point jump shot | |||
2:33 | Nelly Junior Joseph defensive rebound | |||
2:33 | Ian Schieffelin personal foul (Nelly Junior Joseph draws the foul) | |||
2:22 | RJ Godfrey blocks Donovan Dent's two point layup | |||
2:20 | JT Toppin offensive rebound | |||
2:19 | JT Toppin misses two point layup | |||
2:17 | Jack Clark defensive rebound | |||
2:05 | +2 | RJ Godfrey makes two point dunk (Chase Hunter assists) | 25-38 | |
1:59 | Lobos 30 second timeout | |||
1:47 | Donovan Dent misses two point layup | |||
1:45 | RJ Godfrey defensive rebound | |||
1:34 | Joseph Girard III misses two point layup | |||
1:32 | Nelly Junior Joseph defensive rebound | |||
1:20 | +3 | Jaelen House makes three point jump shot (Donovan Dent assists) | 28-38 | |
0:55 | Ian Schieffelin misses three point jump shot | |||
0:53 | Chase Hunter offensive rebound | |||
0:47 | +2 | Jack Clark makes two point layup (Chase Hunter assists) | 28-40 | |
0:38 | Jaelen House turnover (bad pass) (Chase Hunter steals) | |||
0:34 | Donovan Dent shooting foul (Chase Hunter draws the foul) | |||
0:34 | +1 | Chase Hunter makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-41 | |
0:34 | +1 | Chase Hunter makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-42 | |
0:04 | Jaelen House misses two point jump shot | |||
0:02 | Ian Schieffelin defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |