The No. 12 seed McNeese Cowboys delivered the first major upset of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, defeating the No. 5 seed Clemson Tigers 69-67 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Rhode Island on Thursday, March 20. With the win, McNeese became the first double-digit seed to advance in this year’s tournament.<\/p>
The McNeese State Basketball also recorded its first-ever NCAA Tournament win. The Louisiana-based university entered March Madness<\/a> as a No. 12 seed in 2024 but suffered a 21-point first-round loss to Gonzaga.<\/p> Clemson entered the matchup as the overwhelming favorite, with 81.7% of fans and experts on ESPN’s Bracket Challenge predicting a Tigers win. However, the upset left only 5.7% of the 24 million participants with intact brackets.<\/p> A dominant first half proved decisive for McNeese. The Cowboys excelled on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense, holding Clemson to just 20.8% shooting from the field and a mere 6.7% from three-point range. The Tigers also committed 10 turnovers, trailing 31-13 at halftime.<\/p>McNeese vs. Clemson – Game Highlights<\/strong><\/h3>