Wisconsin men’s basketball program appeared in Joe Lunardi’s latest 2025 March Madness men’s field prediction on Wednesday.
After being projected as one of the bubble teams in Lunardi’s May installation of his bracketology, the ESPN analyst now considers the Badgers a No. 9 seed in the Midwest region of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Wisconsin’s placement arrives on the heels of UW’s statement win over No. 17 Arizona on Nov. 15 at the Kohl Center. The win, fueled by 41 points from wing sensation John Tonje, rocketed Wisconsin up to No. 19 in the latest AP Poll.
If Lunardi’s forecast comes to pass, the Badgers will square off against Mississippi State, a program that holds the No. 8 seed in the Midwest cohort. The Bulldogs most recently dropped their first-round match as an eight-seed to No. 9 Michigan State in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Men's Bracketology: 2025 NCAA Tournament https://t.co/146SOUuyXo. 🏀🏀 I may not always agree, but there's a reason the NCAA men's basketball selection committee insists November results mean just as much as late-season games. Let's go back a week to the final media timeout of…
— Joe Lunardi (@ESPNLunardi) November 19, 2024
Wisconsin, meanwhile, lost its opening round contest to No. 12 James Madison in the 2024 tournament. Shortly after, veteran point guard Chucky Hepburn and volume scorer A.J. Storr elected to transfer from the program.
Now, UW looks like it can compete once more in the postseason. The Badgers lead the nation in free throw percentage at 88.64% (117-of-132) and can turn to several playmakers for scoring contributions at all three levels.
Greg Gard’s program will return to the court for a bout against UCF on Nov. 22 at the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia.