Will Wade Leads No. 12 McNeese State to Stunning NCAA Tournament Upset Over No. 5 Clemson

In a classic March Madness upset, No. 12 seed McNeese State stunned No. 5 Clemson 69-67 in Thursday's NCAA Tournament first-round matchup, giving the Cowboys their first-ever tournament victory and extending coach Will Wade's tenure with the program.

First-Half Dominance Sets the Tone

McNeese State established control early, holding Clemson to just 13 points in the first half – a shocking offensive drought for an ACC powerhouse. Even more remarkably, Cowboys guard Brandon Murray outscored the entire Tigers team with 14 first-half points of his own.

The stifling defense and efficient offense from McNeese continued into the second half as Wade's squad maintained their advantage despite a late surge from Clemson.

Tigers' Late Push Falls Short

Clemson, which entered the tournament with an impressive 18-2 ACC record (second only to Duke in the conference), mounted a desperate comeback attempt in the closing minutes. The Tigers managed to cut McNeese's lead to just three points with approximately 10 seconds remaining on the clock.

After McNeese converted a free throw to extend the lead to four, Clemson's Chase Hunter scored a layup in the final seconds, but it proved too little, too late as the Cowboys held on for the two-point victory.

The shooting disparity told much of the story, with McNeese connecting on 43.5 percent of their field goal attempts compared to Clemson's 36.8 percent.

Wade's Stock Continues to Rise

The victory adds another impressive achievement to Will Wade's coaching resume. Wade, who is reportedly set to take over as NC State's head coach next season, has now led McNeese State to unprecedented heights in what appears to be his final season with the program.

College basketball fans and analysts alike expressed admiration for Wade's ability to prepare his team for the upset and outmaneuver an ACC contender on college basketball's biggest stage.

Bracket Busters

Clemson's early exit has created significant ripple effects across tournament brackets nationwide. As a strong No. 5 seed with an excellent conference record, many basketball fans had the Tigers advancing deep into the tournament, making this upset particularly impactful for bracket competitions.

Looking Ahead: McNeese vs. Purdue

The Cowboys now advance to face No. 4 seed Purdue in Saturday's second-round contest in the Midwest Region. The Boilermakers defeated High Point 75-63 in their first-round matchup and will now try to avoid becoming McNeese's next upset victim.

With momentum on their side and Wade's tournament experience guiding them, McNeese State has suddenly transformed from an unknown quantity to a team nobody wants to face in March Madness.