Tigers playing the role of higher-seeded underdog against New Mexico

Clemson looks to play up to its seeding and not to the Vegas spread on Friday in Memphis. (Photo: Petre Thomas / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Fri Mar 22 07:00:03 GMT-04:00 2024

MEMPHIS – Clemson is the higher seed, but the Tigers are also the underdog in today’s NCAA Tournament game against New Mexico. That doesn’t matter to PJ Hall. He is focused on his own team.

Today’s first-round game between the 11th-seeded New Mexico Lobos and sixth-seeded Clemson is one of the trendy upset picks in the tournament. Despite the Tigers' higher placement, the Lobos are favored by 2 1/2 points.

Hall said the Tigers see what’s been said about the matchup, which tips off at 3:10 (EDT) and will be broadcast on TruTV.

“It's pretty hard not to see that kind of stuff, just with the social media and stuff. But at the same time, also after our last loss, we can't blame all the people for thinking that,” Hall said Thursday at the FedExForum. “But at the same time, we've had some great press leading into this, and we know what kind of team we are. We're excited to get out there and play. And whatever it may be, 16-1, 11-6, 12-5, anybody can win on the court. We're focused on our guys, and we're excited to get out there.”

New Mexico plays fast (top 10 in adjusted tempo per KenPom), but it takes care of the ball (top 20 in offensive turnover rate) and features a frontcourt in Nelly Junior Joseph and JT Toppin that can rebound with anyone in the country.

Tiger guard Chase Hunter said the Lobos reminded him of Alabama, a team Clemson beat earlier this season.

“I think they play sort of like Alabama—quick guards, big, physical bigs that can do some things,” Hunter said. “I think they play similar to Alabama. They're a team that can get up and down. And they've got some quick guards that can make plays for themselves. I think we prepared well for them.”

Clemson played in the FedExForum in mid-December, losing 79-77 to the Memphis Tigers for its first loss of the season. Do the Tigers have an advantage?

“Especially in March, you want to look at all the little things to give you a little bit of an advantage. You can kind of look at that to our advantage,” guard Joe Girard said. “But in the end, you've got to go back out there and play the game. And it definitely is a little bit good to have some familiarity with where we're going, with the arena, with the hoops, all that stuff. It definitely gives us a little bit of an advantage. But at the end of the day, we've still got to go out and play.”

Hunter said it all comes down to Clemson playing its best game.

“Like Joe said, like we said about playing here, you play on the same rims, play on the same court. But at the end of the day, we've just gotta go out and play our best game,” Hunter said. “I think playing here definitely was an advantage that we played here earlier in the season. Didn't turn out the way we wanted it to. But we got another chance, another opportunity to prove ourselves.”

Hall said Clemson learned how to adjust to a faster tempo after playing Memphis.

“I'd say in terms of how the game went, one thing I thought about after that was, as it gets down to the wire with a team that does a little bit of run and jump like Memphis was, who is kind of similar to a New Mexico, probably not as fast,” Hall said. “But play your game, stay poised, and run your stuff, that's a big thing we were playing fast teams. Yes, they sped up. That's what we learned from the Memphis game and tried to employ for the rest of the year.”