5-seed UConn men’s basketball to face New Mexico State in NCAA Tournament opener

UConn men’s basketball is in the NCAA tournament for the second time in a row, earning a 5-seed under head coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies will take on No. 12 New Mexico State in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament’s West Region.

This is the program’s highest seeding since being a 3-seed in 2011.

UConn and the Aggies are set to face off on Thursday in Buffalo, New York, with the winner advancing to take on the winner of No. 4 Arkansas and No. 13 Vermont. The game will take place at 6:50 p.m. ET on TNT, with Brad Nessler, Brendan Haywood and Evan Washburn on the call.

New Mexico State currently ranks 81st in KenPom and went 26-6 this season, winning the Western Athletic Conference championship. The Aggies have six wins against teams in the KenPom top 100 — Davidson, Washington State, and Grand Canyon (x3).

The West region features No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga at the top and No. 2 Duke at the bottom. Texas Tech is the 3rd seed in the region.

Stay tuned for updates!