It's March Madness as the James Madison Dukes will face the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. We're here to share our college odds series, make a James Madison-Wisconsin prediction, and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Dukes defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks to win the Sun Belt Tournament. Now, they look to build on their momentum as they enter the NCAA Tournament. Some of the players to watch for include Terrence Edwards Jr., T.J. Bickersaff, Noah Freidel, and Julien Wooden. The Dukes also hope to justify their selection and fulfill their underdog hero status, even after winning 31 games.
The Badgers lost 93-87 to the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Final. Now, they will attempt to bounce back from that loss as they head into this tournament. Some players to watch include A.J. Storr, Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl, and Max Klesmit. Overall, these players will try to be consistent as they head into this showdown.
It will be the sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament for James Madison. However, it is their first since 2013. The Dukes are 4-5 overall in the tournament and have never made it past the second round. Meanwhile, Wisconsin is making its 27th appearance in the tournament. They are 40-25 overall in tournament play but have not won the national championship since 1941.
Additionally, they have not made a Final appearance since 2015. They made it to the Final Four in 2014. As they head into this tournament, Wisconsin will look to replicate those teams and make a strong run.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
March Madness Odds: James Madison-Wisconsin Odds
James Madison: +5.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +176
Wisconsin: -5.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -215
Over: 145.5 (-106)
Under: 145.5 (-114)
How to Watch March Madness
Time: 9:40 PM ET/6:40 PM PT
TV: CBS
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why James Madison Will Cover The Spread/Win
It's crazy to think a team that is 31-3 is a 12th seed in any tournament. Yet, that is how college basketball works. The Dukes won the Sun Belt and now have more to prove as they face one of the oldest teams in college basketball.
Edwards is the main key to success. During the season, he averaged 17.3 points per game. Edwards managed 19 points in the win over Arkansas. Now, he hopes to maintain his hot play. Bickersaff will look to do more than he did against the Razorbacks. During the season, he averaged 13.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.8 percent from the floor. The Dukes need Bickersaff to be the big man down the middle and be the force that gets the rebounds to give them second chances. Also, he needs to shoot more.
Freidel averaged 12.2 points per game during the season. Similarly, he had 12 points against Arkansas while shooting 4 for 9. Wooden did not do much against Arkansas. However, he averaged 10 points during the season and shot 51.7 percent. The Dukes need him to be a reliable fourth option. Also, James Madison needs to win the board battle and force more turnovers to have a chance.
James Madison will cover the spread if Edwards can get hot. Then, they must find a way to box out and win the board battle.
Why Wisconsin Will Cover The Spread/Win
Storr is the star in Wisconsin. Not only did he average 16.2 points per game during the season, but he also averaged 26.6 points throughout the past three games. The only issue with Storr was his shooting in his last game when he went 7 for 20. It seemed like he was trying too hard to get the buckets in. Therefore, Wisconsin must find ways to open up better shots for him.
Wahl averaged 11.7 points per game while shooting 56 percent during the season. However, he went missing in the last game. Crowl is another player who did well during the regular season. Ultimately, he averaged 10.8 points per game while shooting 53.8 percent during the season. Crowl will be another option for the Badgers if Storr is doubled and Wahl cannot get hot. Likewise, the Badgers will need Klesmit to do well. Klesmit exploded for 16 points in his most recent game and will look to replicate that.
Wisconsin will cover the spread if Storr can get hot and shoot the ball well. Then, the defense must play better, as it cannot allow the opposition to shoot 52.6 percent again.
Final James Madison-Wisconsin Prediction & Pick
Wisconsin should win this game. However, James Madison is a tough team to put away. Arkansas learned that the hard way. This game should be just as interesting as the other games. It could be one of the games that sees an upset. While we do not see an upset in the cards, we see this game going down to the very wire, with the Dukes finding a way to cover the spread. James Madison covers the spread as this is not decided until the end.
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Final James Madison-Wisconsin Prediction & Pick: James Madison: +5.5 (-115)
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