Tag: bracket

Wisconsin Badgers vs. James Madison Dukes: Preview and prediction for NCAA Tournament round of 64

What’s your prediction for Wisconsin vs. James Madison?

Wisconsin basketball opens its 2024 NCAA Tournament against No. 12-seed James Madison on Friday night in Brooklyn, New York.

The Badgers enter the tournament with momentum after a 3-1 week at the Big Ten Tournament. The team had fallen to a postseason afterthought after a rough 3-8 stretch since the start of February. But wins over Maryland, Northwestern and top-ranked Purdue have fans believing entering March Madness.

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James Madison is a popular upset pick by some of the college basketball media and a group of television analysts. Wisconsin enters as a heavy favorite, but many nationally have bought into James Madison’s hot-streak entering the tournament.

With the game now fast-approaching, it’s time to put an official preview and prediction on the record:

Wisconsin: 75.1 points per game, 69.9 points allowed per game, 3-6 vs Top 25, BPI No. 18, 11-9 in conference play

James Madison: 84.4 points per game, 69.2 points allowed per game, 1-0 vs Top 25, BPI No. 46, 15-3 in conference play

Wisconsin:

  • A.J. Storr (16.9 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game).
  • Chucky Hepburn (9.3 points per game, 3.4 rebounds per game, 3.9 assists per game)
  • Steven Crowl (11.2 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game)

James Madison:

  • Terrence Edwards (17.4 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, 3.5 assists per game)
  • T.J. Bickerstaff (13.4 points per game, 8.5 rebounds per game, 1.7 assists per game)

Wisconsin: W vs. Marquette, L vs. Arizona, 1-2 vs. Purdue, 2-0 vs. Michigan State, 0-2 vs. Illinois

James Madison: W vs. Michigan State, 0-2 vs. Appalachian State, W vs. Kent State, W vs. Southern Illinois, W vs. Louisiana

Wisconsin: No. 17 overall, No. 13 offense, No. 47 defense, No. 3 strength of schedule

James Madison: No. 59 overall, No. 56 offense, No. 79 defense, No. 293 strength of schedule

Spread: Wisconsin -5.5 (-215) / James Madison +5.5 (+176)

Total: 145.5

(Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook)

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From ESPN: “At least one No. 12 seed has defeated a No. 5 seed in 32 of 38 tournaments. Three of the six times that 12-seeds failed to win a first-round game have occurred in the past eight tourneys.”

Wisconsin has the size advantage over James Madison and should use it early and often. Expect hot starts from Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl as the Badgers finally get a team without a top interior presence.

This week of rest should also help the Badgers after a busy week in Minneapolis, plus should help John Blackwell recover from his leg injury.

Yes, James Madison is red-hot, having won 13 straight and 16 of 17. But Wisconsin’s guard of Storr, Hepburn, Klesmit and Blackwell positions the team well entering the matchup. And the Badgers enter off their most impressive week of the season.

Many national analysts are picking the Dukes. I disagree completely and see Wisconsin moving on in blowout fashion.

Prediction: Wisconsin 78, James Madison 67

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ESPN’s Joe Lunardi sees an early exit for Wisconsin basketball in 2024 NCAA Tournament

Are the Badgers on upset alert against James Madison?

It’s time to add ESPN ace college basketball bracketologist Joe Lunardi to the group that sees an early exit for Wisconsin basketball in March Madness.

Lunardi gave his full NCAA Tournament preview Tuesday morning, previewing all 68 teams and picking each team’s fate.

His power ranking for the Badgers includes the No. 18 ‘eye test rank,’ No. 16 resume rating and No. 19 overall seed in the tournament.

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The prediction, which Badgers fans are sure to disagree with: a first-round loss to No. 12-seed James Madison.

Here’s Lunardi’s rationale:

“March Madness is a guard-centric tournament and the Badgers have a quartet of quality ones in [A.J.] Storr, [Max] Klesmit, Chucky Hepburn and John Blackwell. But to cure the Badgers’ seven-year itch without a Sweet 16 trip, they must play much stickier defense — especially the aforementioned guards. I see Madison’s maddening March trend continuing with an early defeat against the other (James) Madison.”

We at Badgers Wire aren’t buying into James Madison as the automatic upset pick over the Badgers. Countless college basketball experts and television analysts have picked the Dukes, a curious trend after Wisconsin’s resurgent week at the Big Ten Tournament.

Lunardi’s point may be true, however. Illinois’ 93-point outburst on Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament final is worth monitoring as the James Madison game begins. Wisconsin will need to score at the same clip as it did, but also find more success on the defensive end.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Wisconsin basketball returns to top 25 of USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Wisconsin basketball returns to top 25 of USA TODAY Coaches Poll

Wisconsin basketball rode a stellar week at the Big Ten Tournament to a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Badgers open play with No. 12 seed James Madison, a tough opening draw. The winner gets the No. 4 Duke-No. 13 Vermont winner. The path may seem daunting, but it also represents a terrific opportunity for Greg Gard’s team to put together a memorable March.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers vs. James Madison Dukes: TV channel, betting line, game notes for NCAA Tournament Round of 64

Wisconsin’s resurgence since this time last week has its NCAA Tournament outlook on the rise. The 3-1 week — wins against Maryland, Northwestern and Purdue and a narrow loss to Illinois — also returned the team to the top 25 of the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

The Badgers are No. 24,  a big jump from not even receiving votes last week. Other Big Ten teams in the top 25 are Purdue at No. 3 and Illinois at No. 10.

Wisconsin tips off its NCAA Tournament Friday night in Brooklyn, New York, as Gard’s squad looks to make its first Sweet 16 since 2016-17.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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Wisconsin a No. 5 seed in NCAA Tournament, will play Sun Belt champion

Thoughts on Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament draw?

The Wisconsin Badgers are a No. 5 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament and drew a first-round showdown with Sun Belt champion James Madison.

The Badgers fell, 93-87, to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament final on Sunday. The team is back to playing the basketball that propelled it to No. 6 in the national polls in late January, but the Dukes are a tough first-round draw.

Related: Wisconsin basketball social media unhappy about Badgers NCAA Tournament draw

James Madison is KenPom’s 59th-ranked team in the nation with the No. 56 offense and No. 79 defense. The team is on an absolute heater, having won its last 13 contests and 16 of its last 17.

The game is set for Friday in Brooklyn, New York. The winner will face the winner between No. 4 Duke-No. 13 Vermont.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

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How to watch Wisconsin vs Purdue in Big Ten Tournament semifinal

How to watch Wisconsin vs Purdue in Big Ten Tournament semifinal

Wisconsin punched its ticket to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal in decisive fashion Friday afternoon with a 70-61 win over No. 4-seed Northwestern.

The Badgers are flashing impressive form, and look to be as dangerous as any team left standing in the Big Ten Tournament. More significantly, they seem like a group rounding into form right before the NCAA Tournament begins.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s stellar Big Ten Tournament win over Northwestern

Up next for Greg Gard’s team is the semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament against No. 1-seed Purdue. The Boilermakers narrowly won both matchups between the two teams during the season, including a 78-70 victory in West Lafayette just five days ago.

With the contest on the horizon, here is how to watch the Badgers vs Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal:

  • Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
  • Opponent: No. 1 Purdue
  • Time: 1 p.m. ET, noon CT
  • TV Channel: CBS, Paramount+

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

Alabama slides to a four-seed in latest Bracketology projection

Alabama exits the regular season as a projected four-seed in latest USA TODAY Bracketology projection.

Alabama basketball finished the 2023-2024 regular season on a high note with an impressive comeback win over Arkansas at home. Now, the team enters the SEC Conference Tournament with few opportunities to improve its resumé for seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

The latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology projection was done by Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, and Eddie Timanus. In it, Alabama is a projected four-seed in the South Region.

According to the mock bracket, the Tide would face No. 13 Appalachian State in the Round of 64.

In the South Region, the No. 1 seed would be Houston, No. 2 North Carolina and No. 3 Creighton. Without a doubt, one of the most difficult of the four regions.

Alabama will play again this Friday, March 15 in Nashville in the quarterfinals of the 2024 SEC Conference Tournament.

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Big Ten basketball tournament bracket released

Big Ten Basketball Tournament Bracket released

The 2023-24 Big Ten regular season concluded on Sunday.

For Wisconsin, the finale was a 78-70 loss to Purdue that dropped the team to 19-12, 11-9 in Big Ten play.

Purdue finished atop the conference with a stellar 17-3 record, a full three games clear of second-place Illinois. After the Illini, the third-best records were shared by Nebraska and Northwestern, both relative surprises after low expectations entering the season.

Related: Wisconsin social media infuriated after Badgers crushing loss to Purdue

Then Wisconsin’s 11-9 record fits in, six games behind Purdue.

The rest of the conference is bunched up behind the Badgers, with three teams at 10-10, three at 9-11, two at 7-13 and Michigan at 3-17.

The Big Ten Tournament begins Wednesday evening with No. 13 Rutgers vs. No. 12 Maryland and No. 14 Michigan vs. No. 11 Penn State. Then the action resumes on Thursday with most other teams in action.

Related: Takeaways from Wisconsin’s controversial loss to No. 3 Purdue

Here’s the official 2024 Big Ten Tournament bracket:

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March Madness Bracketology: Where is Alabama?

Alabama basketball has goals to make a deep March Madness run, but where will they start? The latest Bracketology update breaks it down.

With only a few games remaining in the 2023-2024 college basketball regular season, Alabama is looking to make a strong push to not only win the SEC, but to improve its seeding for the NCAA ‘March Madness’ Basketball Tournament.

In the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology seeding projection by Erick Smith, Paul Myerberg and Eddie Timanus, the Crimson Tide is a No. 3 seed in the South Region, hosted in Dallas.

According to the projection, Alabama would take on No. 14 Morehead State in Brooklyn and take on the winner of No. 6 BYU and the No. 11 seed, which will be between Nebraska and Nevada.

As the third seed, the Tide sits behind No. 1 Houston and No. 2 Marquette. Just behind Alabama at No. 4 is Saint Mary’s and at No. 5 is Utah State.

We are still a few weeks away from the full bracket being revealed and a lot is expected to change. For now, it appears as if the Crimson Tide is set to be a top-five seed in the tournament, barring significant improvement or regression in the final few games of the regular season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball as the postseason nears.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

March Madness Bracket Preview: Where is Alabama?

Alabama basketball’s projected March Madness seed may shock some as the 2023-2024 regular season nears its end.

Alabama men’s basketball may have gotten off to a rocky start to the 2023-2024 college basketball season, but the Tide has turned things around in SEC play.

Nate Oats and his team are 17-7 overall with an in-conference record of 9-2, with six games remaining after they get through Texas A&M.

With the NCAA March Madness Tournament looming in the not-too-distant future, projections are being made and Alabama fans have every reason to be excited.

The top team in the SEC is currently projected to be a No. 3 seed in the tournament, according to the official March Madness Bracket Preview shared to social media by the Tournament’s official accounts.

As seen in the above graphic, Alabama would be third in the South region, joined by No. 1 Houston, No. 2 Marquette and No. 4 Ilinois.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball as the regular season nears the conclusion.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM. 

Where is Alabama in USA TODAY Sports’ latest March Madness projection?

The latest March Madness Bracketology projection has Alabama in an interesting spot.

Alabama men’s basketball has been on fire in the SEC. The Crimson Tide leads the league with a record of 8-1 against conference opponents. Overall the team has a 16-6 record with most losses coming against high-quality teams early in the season.

It appears as if Nate Oats’s squad has found its identity. The offense remains hot, but the defense has picked up immensely. Under the leadership of Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, this roster seems poised to be a threat in the postseason.

While there’s still considerable time left in the 2023-2024 regular season, the conference tournament is nearing, which is followed by the NCAA Tournament.

USA TODAY Sports college basketball experts Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith and Eddie Timanus projected the field. Alabama is projected to be an automatic qualifier and be a third seed in the East Region. The Tide’s opening contest would be against 14-seed High Point.

The two teams seeded above Alabama in the East Region would be No. 1 Connecticut and No. 2 Arizona. Not the easiest of routes for the Crimson Tide. However, in order to be the best, the team will have to beat the best.

Alabama will next take on twelfth-ranked Auburn on the road on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET in a rematch of two in-state rivals. The Tide won the first matchup of the season between these teams in Tuscaloosa just a few weeks ago.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball as the season progresses.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.