Clemson vs. New Mexico: 2024 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks

by BettingPros Staff |
Mar 18, 2024

Now that the 2024 NCAA Tournament brackets have been announced, itâ€™s time to make your sports betting picks to increase the excitement of March Madness. Let's take a look at the early odds and picks for the 2024 NCAA Tournament game: Clemson vs. New Mexico. And make sure to check out our 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Optimizer to take down your pools!

2024 NCAA Tournament Odds & Picks: Clemson vs. New Mexico

Clemson 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview

With all the ACC focus on Duke, North Carolina, and now North Carolina State, Clemson quietly put together a solid year, with an 11-6 record across the first two quadrants. After starting the season 9-0 with wins over Alabama, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, and TCU, it looked like the Tigers were poised for greatness. It's not as if Clemson collapsed, but it finished the year 12-9 after that strong start, so it's a question of which team shows up in the tournament.

The good news is that Clemson handled nonconference opponents well, especially on the road (like Alabama, for instance). P.J. Hall is a force down low. Chase Hunter and Joseph Girard are solid in the backcourt but don't exactly elevate this team to a title contender. Clemson's recent play has been concerning, as the Tigers have gone 1-3 over their last four games, with worrisome losses to Notre Dame and Boston College. Limping into the tournament is never great, and the Tigers' defense isn't a dependable unit to fall back on. Ranking outside the top 50 in KenPom defensive efficiency, Clemson allows ample looks from beyond the arc and forces few turnovers, so opponents can expect a good shot volume when facing the Tigers. On the bright side, the Tigers do own a top-five defense at the rim.

If we're putting the Tigers in a tier, it would be "could win a few tournament games and surprise, but don't expect much." With three losses to sub-100-ranked teams and wins over North Carolina and Alabama, there is a wide range of outcomes for Brad Brownwell's squad.

New Mexico 2024 NCAA Tournament Preview

Sitting on the bubble entering Mountain West Tournament play, the Lobos won four straight games to earn the automatic bid out of the Mountain West. Jaelen House was spectacular, scoring 28 points against San Diego State in the championship game, leading his team to victory. New Mexico went a perfect 7-0 in neutral-court games this year. The Lobos are the rare team that steps up away from home and brings their all every game.

While their defense is consistent, their offense has some question marks. Taking very few perimeter shots, the Lobos get over 57 percent of their scoring from inside the arc, 18th most in the country. They play at breakneck speed, with over 29 percent of their shots coming in transition. While New Mexico may not score much from deep, the Lobos take care of the ball, convert second-chance opportunities at the fifth-highest clip in the nation, and take care of the ball well. The opportunities they produce for themselves can only bode well for their potential in the tournament. Against quality opponents, they have shown out well, remaining in the top 30 in efficiency when facing top-100 opponents. Don't be surprised if New Mexico wins a few games in the tournament, but their lack of perimeter shooting and so-so interior defense may be a limiting factor for these Lobos.

2024 NCAA Tournament Predictions: Clemson vs. New Mexico

In a rare 11-seed favored over a six-seed, it makes sense, considering how these two teams are playing recently. Clemson has lost consecutive games and three of four in their most recent games. The Lobos are riding high after an impressive Mountain West run, winning four straight. Where New Mexico will excel is mere opportunity. With a top-15 turnover percentage facing a team that forces turnovers at a bottom-25 clip, New Mexico will get a lot of opportunities to score. But Clemson's interior defense is elite, led by PJ Hall.

Ranking third in near-proximity defense, New Mexico might have to change its strategy of taking a projected 40 percent of shots around the rim, four percent higher than average. Clemson sits in a similar boat, with the Lobos expected to out-rebound Clemson, force turnovers, and limit perimeter scoring. New Mexico should win a close one, but both defenses line up well enough with each other for the game to go under.

2024 NCAA Tournament Picks: Clemson vs. New Mexico

Pick: Under 147.5 (-110 on DraftKings)

Check out all of our 2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket & Betting Coverage >>

2024 NCAA Tournament Sports Betting Picks

EAST REGION

MIDWEST REGION

SOUTH REGION

WEST REGION

2024 NCAA Tournament Bracket Pool Strategy & Picks

Below we provide strategy, advice, and picks to create the optimal NCAA Tournament bracket. And be sure to use our FREE bracket optimizer to build a winning menâ€™s NCAA tournament bracket and take down your contest!

Navigate