New Mexico Mirrors the Spartans' Most Recent Opponent

The No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans will face the No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos in the Round of 32. The Spartans have experience with the Lobos' playing style after beating the Bryant Bulldogs in the first round.

Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; New Mexico Lobos head coach Richard Pitino reacts in the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Michigan State advanced to the Round of 32 to square off against the New Mexico Lobos, a team that is very similar to the Spartans’ first-round opponent, the No. 15 seed Bryant Bulldogs.

The 10-seeded Lobos upset Marquette in the Round of 64, pulling away from No. 7 seed Marquette late in the second half.

The Spartans will be facing another fast-paced style of offense, New Mexico is even faster than Bryant, ranking No. 5 in KenPom adjusted tempo. Michigan State embraces other teams pushing the pace, as the Spartans' offense operates best when both teams are running in transition.

Lobos junior guard Donovan Dent was impressive in the first tournament win for New Mexico since 2014. Dent scored 21 points as an efficient isolation scorer against the Golden Eagles. The Spartans will have to lean on all-conference defender Jaden Akins to limit Dent as a scoring threat.

On the other hand, the junior guard also committed eight turnovers, an aspect of his game the Spartans can target by creating points on the other end of those turnovers. 

Michigan State did a great job of limiting the opposing lead guard in the first round. Bryant guard Rafael Pinzon took 26 shots, only making nine and only shooting 16 percent from 3-point range on 12 attempts.

For their electric pace, the Lobos don’t attempt many 3s. Richard Pitino’s squad wants to drive to the basket and get baskets into the paint. This means the Spartans’ frontcourt will need to provide quality rim protection against New Mexico.

Historically, underdogs out of the Mountain West aren’t made for March. Before Friday, Mountain West double-digit seeds were 1-25 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, with 23 consecutive losses. However, New Mexico and Colorado State both pulled off upsets to advance to the second round.

The last time the Spartans faced a 10 seed in the Round of 32 was in 2019. Michigan State dominated Minnesota, which was also coached by Richard Pitino, with former Spartans guard Cassius Winston leading the way in a 20-point victory. 

The Lobos haven’t been to the Sweet Sixteen since the inception of the 64-team tournament. Michigan State is on the verge of its 16th trip to the Sweet 16 under Coach Tom Izzo.

The matchup between Michigan State and New Mexico will tip off at 8:40 p.m. on Sunday.

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