The Saint Joseph's Hawks face the New Mexico Lobos in the NIT quarterfinal tonight.
Although the Lobos are tough to beat at home, my Saint Joseph’s vs. New Mexico predictions expect the Hawks to put up a fight.
Here are my best free college basketball picks for this NIT showdown on Tuesday, March 24.
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico prediction
Who will win Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico?
New Mexico: Both teams have comparable defenses, but the New Mexico Lobos boast the superior offense. They rank 70th in the country in eFG% (54%) while the Saint Joseph's Hawks are 281st (49.2%).
That, combined with home-court advantage at The Pit, should lead to a win.
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico best bet: Saint Joseph's +10.5 (-110)
Since the start of February, New Mexico has suffered six defeats, with two of its wins coming down to the wire. That's not dominant enough to justify laying 10.5 points.
The Hawks are 9-1 SU and ATS in their last 10 games, with the only loss coming in the A-10 semifinal against VCU. They are coming off road wins at Cal and Colorado State, which proved they could perform at elevation.
Anchored by Justice Ajogbor, the Hawks are 56th in the country in adjusted defense while ranking 32nd in opponent eFG% (47.5%). That scrappy defense should help them cover this double-digit spread.
COVERS INTEL: Saint Joseph's had the third-best rating in the A-10 Conference, just behind Saint Louis and VCU, who both advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico same-game parlay
Ajogbor is an elite rim protector who averages 2.1 blocks per game, swatting at least a pair of shots in 23 of 35 games.
The 6-foot-10, 255-pound center is also contributing on offense lately, scoring in double digits in four of his last five starts.
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico SGP
- Saint Joseph's +10.5
- Justice Ajogbor Over 10.5 points
- Justice Ajogbor Over 1.5 blocks
Our beyond the arc SGP: Battle of the Bigs
There should be a good battle down low between Ajogbor and Lobos' forward Tomislav Buljan.
The freshman has scored more than 20 points in three of his last seven games while averaging 12.2 rebounds per contest during that stretch.
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico SGP
- Justice Ajogbor Over 10.5 points
- Justice Ajogbor Over 1.5 blocks
- Tomislav Buljan Over 14.5 points
- Tomislav Buljan Over 10.5 rebounds
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico odds
- Spread: Saint Joseph’s +10.5 (-110) | New Mexico -10.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Saint Joseph’s +475 | New Mexico -650
- Over/Under: Over 155 (-110) | Under 155 (-110)
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico betting trend to know
The Hawks have covered the spread in 17 of their last 20 games (+13.70 Units / 62% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Saint Joseph’s vs. New Mexico.
How to watch Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico
| Location | The Pit, Albuquerque, NM |
| Date | Tuesday, March 23, 2026 |
| Tip-off | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
Saint Joseph’s vs New Mexico key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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