Welcome back to another edition in our March Madness odds series, where the Colgate Raiders face off against the Wisconsin Badgers in a first-round matchup that is sure to have major bracket implications! Click on the link above for our Colgate-Wisconsin prediction and pick.
This is not Colgate's first time in the rodeo, as the Raiders have accomplished two tournament appearances under their belts in the last four years. Even more impressive, Colgate started the 2021-2022 season 4-10, and had to include an improbable run at the Patriot Conference Title by winning 19 of its last 20 games to attain that goal. The Raiders are hotter than a ghost pepper, and coming out on top against the heavy-favorite Badgers would make the season even more special than it has been.
Wisconsin had a whirlwind of a conference tournament that included losing their best player due to injury in Big Ten Player of the Year Johnny Davis in a bad loss vs Nebraska, but it appears that Davis is back to being 100%. The Badgers are as pesky as can be, and are 15-3 when games are decided by six points or fewer. Wisconsin currently sits at 24-7 (15-5) and are coming into the tournament as Big Ten regular-season Co-Champs.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Colgate-Wisconsin March Madness odds:
March Madness odds: Colgate-Wisconsin Odds
Colgate: +7.5 (-110)
Wisconsin: -7.5 (-110)
Over: 139 (-110)
Under: 139 (-110)
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Why Colgate Could Cover the Spread
Have we mentioned that Colgate is arguably one of the hottest teams in all of college basketball? The Raiders are riding a heatwave that few teams have experienced this season, and are no doubt confident in how they match up against Wisconsin. Colgate, like many other mid-major schools, rely heavily on their three-point shooting, as they statistically are among the best in the nation in that category. They will cover the spread if they continue the trend of being an elite shooting team, and the Raiders should be able to ride the emotional swings that come with March Madness because of their senior-heavy lineup.
Colgate is in the big dance because of their guard play, and they will hands down be putting on the dancing shoes when they take on the Badgers. Guards Nelly Cummings, Tucker Richardson, and Jack Ferguson will be vital in their chances of fitting into the glass slipper of being a Cinderella-worthy team. Fun fact: Colgate is ranked 11th nationally with 17.2 assists per game.
Why Wisconsin Could Cover the Spread
On paper, Wisconsin is the better team and shouldn't have too much of an issue with Colgate… right? Obviously, the Badgers' losses late in the year versus Michigan State and Nebraska are cause for concern, but let's not forget that Wisconsin is the Big Ten champion. The reason why the Badgers were so good during the regular season was because of their top 50 offensive and defensive efficiency rating, as well as their turnover-free brand of basketball that is more infectious than the common cold. Combine those winning formulas with the fact that superstar guard Johnny Davis is fully healthy and Coach of the Year Greg Gard has the troops ready for war, the Badgers definitely have what it takes to make a run at a championship in 2022. Since 2001, 3-seeds are 71-9 against 14-seeds in the first round, another stat that is in Wisconsin's favor.
Final Colgate-Wisconsin Prediction & Pick
At the end of the day, 3-seeds rarely lose to 14-seeds, and no one should be counting on Colgate to win this matchup, or even cover the spread. Wisconsin has one of the best players in the nation wearing red and white and they also have this year's best coach. It is too much to ask the Raiders to compete in this one, even after going streaking to get into the big dance. Hammer the Badgers and the points in this first-round matchup!
Final Colgate-Wisconsin Pick: Wisconsin -7.5 (-110)
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