One of the trendy upset picks in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament is in the McNeese vs Clemson matchup on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Clemson is the higher seed in this contest from Providence, RI, but McNeese has had a huge season in their own right and will be expected by some to come out on top here.
According to sports betting sites across America, Clemson is a 7.5-point favorite going into this first-round game. Oddsmakers have made the total for this contest 133.5 points. Here, we put this matchup between the Southland Conference champions and an ACC at-large team under the microscope and make our prediction for the game in the betting markets.
McNeese Hopes For Better Tournament Performance
The McNeese Cowboys had one of the best seasons by a mid-major program this season. The Cowboys went 27-6, losing just once in conference play en route to the Southland Conference championship. Making their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Will Wade, the Cowboys will look for a better showing than they had in last year’s tournament, where they were blown out in the first round by Gonzaga.
McNeese challenged itself in non-conference play this year, losing close games against Alabama and Mississippi State. Kenpom ranked McNeese’s non-conference schedule as the 25th toughest in the country. That could pay off for them in a big way as they get set to take on some of the big boys during March Madness.
Will Clemson Start Another Deep Tourney Run?
Clemson enjoyed a deep run to the NCAA Tournament last year, getting to the Elite Eight. This year, expectations are high for the Tigers once again, following a 27-6 season and a trip to the ACC tournament semifinals. With one of the top duos in college basketball right now, the Tigers will look to start off another deep run in this tournament with a victory in the opening round.
That dynamic duo for Clemson consists of guard Chase Hunter and forward Ian Schieffelin. Those two players combine to average 29.2 points per game, while Schieffelin averages 9.4 rebounds per game on his own. This group will likely go as far as Hunter and Schieffelin take them, starting with this game in which Clemson is expected to come out on top.
McNeese vs Clemson Prediction
Clemson -7.5 (-110) over McNeese
220K Gold Coins & 10 FREE Sweeps Coins
Claim Bonus - We saw McNeese falter in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year and aren’t falling for them again here.
- McNeese’s strength of schedule is a huge reason we don’t believe in them in this spot.
