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The first major upset of the 2025 NCAA Tournament is complete. No. 12 seed McNeese stunned No. 5 seed Clemson with a 69-67 victory on Thursday in the first round. McNeese will face No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.
The Southland conference entered this season 0-7 all-time against the ACC in the NCAA Tournament before McNeese’s shocking win. The Cowboys are in their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Will Wade after reaching the Big Dance only once this century before his arrival. McNeese’s win marks the first tournament win for the Southland conference since Abilene Christian in 2021.
Clemson scored the second-fewest first-half points (13) by a top-five seed in NCAA Tournament history. The Tigers also scored their fewest points in the first half of a game since a 13-point showing against Virginia in 2013. McNeese guard Brandon Murray outscored Clemson by himself (14 points) during the first 20 minutes of play.
Murray came into the tournament averaging just 7.1 points, but finished with a season-high 21 in the win. Murray played for Wade at LSU during the 2021-22 season.
McNeese lost to Gonzaga in the first round after going 30-4 in Wade’s first season with the program last year. This season, the Cowboys won 27 regular season games and captured the Southland title with a 63-54 win over Lamar. Wade is expected to be the next coach at NC State after the conclusion of McNeese’s tournament run.
Clemson’s loss guarantees the ACC will have at most two teams in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after No. 8 seed Louisville lost 89-75 earlier in the day to No. 9 seed Creighton. No. 1 seed Duke and No. 11 seed North Carolina are in action on Friday against Mount St. Mary’s and Ole Miss, respectively.
McNeese’s upset win vs. Clemson
- McNeese’s bench scored more points (35) than its starters (34)
- McNeese can become the first team from the Southland Conference team to reach the Sweet 16 since Louisiana Tech did during the 1984-85 season. Louisiana Tech was led that year by Karl Malone
- Clemson outscored McNeese by 22 points (51-29) over the final 15:30 of this game after going down by 24
- Clemson scored the most second-half points for a team recording 15 points or fewer during a first-half in NCAA Tournament history
- McNeese scored 44 points in the paint, which tied for the most points Clemson has allowed all season there
