Pick details
| MATCHUP | New Mexico Lobos | Tulsa Golden Hurricane |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 26-10 | 29-7 |
| Spread | -2.5 -120 | +2.5 100 |
| Moneyline | -166 | +140 |
| Total | Over 161.5 (-105) | Under 161.5 (-115) |
| Where | Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN | |
| When | Thursday, April 2, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | ESPN | |
The New Mexico Lobos and the Tulsa Golden Hurricane meet Thursday in NIT college basketball action from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Here’s a New Mexico vs Tulsa prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best New Mexico vs Tulsa pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
New Mexico Lobos Betting Preview
As the month of January came to an end, the Lobos were sitting at 18-4 overall. A 4-3 run came next with wins over Grand Canyon, Air Force, Fresno State and San Diego State, then losses to Colorado State and Utah State. New Mexico beat San Jose State in the conference tournament before a loss to San Diego State. It’s been wins over Sam Houston, George Washington and Saint Joseph’s since then.
In the Saint Joseph’s matchup in the NIT quarterfinal game last Tuesday, the Lobos came back out onto the floor in the second half with a 39-37 deficit. New Mexico turned it on in the remainder of the game, hitting a 47-30 run on the way to an 84-69 victory in the end. Leading the scoring was Tomislav Buljan with 27 points and 11 boards while Jake Hall added 24 points with four rebounds.
The winner of this game will face off against Illinois State or Auburn next in the NIT Championship game.
Tulsa Golden Hurricane Betting Preview
Over on the Tulsa side, they were 20-3 in early February then lost to South Florida, UAB and Wichita State. Wins over Charlotte, UTSA, Tulane, East Carolina, Temple and North Texas came next before a loss to Wichita State in the conference tourney. The Hurricanes have taken out Stephen F. Austin, UNLV and Wichita State during the first three rounds of the NIT so far for a 29-7 overall run.
In the Wichita State matchup back on March 24, the Golden Hurricane kicked off their NIT quarterfinal game with a 52-36 edge in the first half. Tulsa was outscored 43-31 the rest of the way, leading to an 83-79 victory in the end. Tops in scoring was Miles Barnstable with 24 points and four boards while Tyler Riley had 21 points with six rebounds and six assists.
New Mexico Lobos @ Tulsa Golden Hurricane Betting Trends: April 2, 2026
Why the Tulsa Golden Hurricane will win
- Tulsa has won 13 of its last 14 games against non-Conference opponents.
Why the New Mexico Lobos will win
- New Mexico has won each of its last seven night games against non-Conference opponents.
- Tulsa has lost the first half in nine of its last 12 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue.
Total Points Facts
- Thirty-eight of Tulsa’s last 41 games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue have produced a total of 158 or fewer points.
- Seven of New Mexico’s last eight games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue have produced a total of 158 or fewer points.
Matchup/League Facts
- Tulsa ranks 12th among Division 1 teams for true shooting percentage this season (60.9%).
- Tulsa ranks 14th among Division 1 teams for free throws made per game this season (18.9).
- New Mexico ranks 29th among Division 1 teams for net rating this season (+15.3).
- New Mexico ranks 45th among Division 1 teams for defensive rating this season (101.6).
New Mexico vs Tulsa Prediction
I’ll stick with New Mexico. The Lobos started a bit slowly in their win over Saint Joseph’s but finished strong on 47.5 percent shooting overall. New Mexico added a 38-31 rebounding edge and a 40-32 advantage on points in the paint while holding the Hawks to just 40 percent shooting on defense. The Lobos have scored very well in their three wins during this NIT, posting 84 or more points in each game.
As for Tulsa, they utilized a strong first half to eke past Wichita State in their latest win. The Hurricane didn’t shoot well (38.5 percent) but then again neither did the Shockers (37.5 percent). Tulsa had 41.4 percent (12-of-29) from outside though, and added 87.5 percent (21-of-24) at the line. Outside of that the Hurricane got beaten in the paint pretty badly (40-22) and lost the rebounding battle 40-36. Still, Tulsa is scoring well during this tournament with 77 or more points in all three games. We should have a pretty good total in this one.
Andrew Jett's Pick: New Mexico Lobos -3.5
