The McNeese State Cowboys take on the Clemson Tigers in the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is set for 3:15 p.m. ET on truTV.
Clemson is favored by 7.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -350. The total is set at 133.5 points.
Here are my McNeese vs. Clemson predictions and college basketball picks for March 20, 2025.
McNeese Cowboys vs Clemson Tigers Prediction, Picks
My Pick: First Half Under 63.5
My McNeese vs Clemson best bet is on the first half under, with the best odds currently available at BetRivers. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
McNeese vs Clemson Odds, Spread
| McNeese Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 137.5 -115o / -105u | +240 |
| Clemson Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 137.5 -115o / -105u | -305 |
McNeese vs Clemson best bet: First Half Under 63.5
McNeese vs Clemson March Madness Preview
Of the last 39 NCAA Tournaments, 33 of them have had a 12-seed take down a 5-seed.
However, I'm not here to predict an upset, as the Clemson Tigers and the McNeese State Cowboys have a few things in common that open up another angle for this matchup.
Clemson plays one of the slowest brands of basketball in the country, ranking 328th in adjusted tempo. The Tigers' ability to slow the game down allows them to play to their strengths on both ends of the floor.
The Tigers have been excellent from inside the arc, feeding big men Ian Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin on the low block, while Chase Hunter has been money from mid-range.
We should see Clemson abuse these areas, as the Cowboys are undersized.
It remains to be seen just how much success the Tigers will have inside, though. To their credit, the Cowboys are 35th in 2-point percentage allowed and 37th in effective field goal percentage allowed.
On the other end of the court, we have a similar story. McNeese ranks 286th in adjusted tempo and has an even higher tendency to work the ball into the paint, as shots from that area have made up nearly 45% of its offense this season.
DJ Richards is the Cowboys' only perimeter threat. While he's proficient from there, he's also predictable, so you can expect the Tigers to emphasize closing out on his attempts.
That leaves the majority of the Tigers' attempts from the paint against a Clemson team that's 17th in adjusted defensive efficiency and has held its opposition to just 54% from the painted area this season.
The one area where Clemson has proven susceptible on defense is the mid-range, but just 18.5% of McNeese's attempts have come from there. The outlook for the Cowboys is bleak offensively.
This matchup profiles to be a stout defensive battle. While Clemson is much more likely to find offensive success, the slow tempo will limit the number of possessions tremendously and keep this one under the first-half total.
