No. 10 seed New Mexico used a dominant second-half surge to upset No. 7 seed Marquette 75-66 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s South Region on Friday night. The Lobos, led by Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent’s 21 points, took control late to secure their first March Madness victory since 2012.
With the win, head coach Richard Pitino joins his father, Rick Pitino, in the second round of the tournament. Rick Pitino’s No. 2 seed St. John’s team is set to play Arkansas on Saturday, marking the first time both Pitinos have won their opening-round matchups in the same tournament.
Dent, who struggled early with just six first-half points, found his rhythm after halftime. He played a key role in a decisive 10-0 New Mexico run that put the Lobos in command down the stretch. Nelly Junior Joseph added 19 points for New Mexico (27-7), including a crucial layup with 6:17 remaining to give the Lobos a 59-58 lead.
The second half featured a tightly contested battle, with three ties and eight lead changes. However, New Mexico’s ability to score in the paint proved to be the difference, as they outscored Marquette 38-26 inside.
Marquette (23-11) was paced by David Joplin, who poured in 28 points and knocked down six three-pointers. Joplin, who had struggled from deep in the Big East Tournament semifinals, bounced back in a big way but couldn’t carry the Golden Eagles past New Mexico.
Kam Jones, an AP All-America second-team selection and Marquette’s leading scorer at 18.9 points per game, had a tough night. He missed five of his first six shots and finished with 15 points, nine of which came in the second half. Jones fought back tears during the postgame interview, as the loss marked the end of his collegiate career.
Marquette head coach Shaka Smart pointed to New Mexico’s 38-26 advantage in points in the paint as the defining factor in the game. The Lobos consistently attacked the rim, exposing Marquette’s interior defense and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities.
The Lobos snapped a four-game NCAA Tournament losing streak and won a first-round game as a lower seed for the first time since 1999. After reaching the Sweet 16 last year, the Golden Eagles suffered a first-round exit and are now 1-3 in tournament history as a No. 7 seed.
New Mexico will face second-seeded Michigan State on Sunday with a chance to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1974.
