2024 March Madness Betting Analysis for James Madison vs. Wisconsin Odds and Pick

Previous Betting News

The Indiana Hoosiers will look to pull off the big upset over the eighth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers when the two rivals square off in their Big Ten battle on Thursday night. With Wisconsin looking to extend their winning ways against Indiana, let’s find out which team is offering the best value against their College Basketball Odds in this contest.

College Basketball Predictions – Indiana at No. 8 Wisconsin

Why Bet On Indiana

The Hoosiers (7-4 ATS) have won two straight and come into this matchup fresh off a 63-55 win over Maryland on Monday. Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis posted team-highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds in the win while going off midway through the second half by scoring 12 straight points. Jackson-Davis made his last six shots while Maryland went scoreless for just over six minutes while going 0-for-7 from the field. Race Thompson added 13 points and 11 rebounds in the win while Aljami Durham added an identical 13 points. The Hoosiers have gone 0-2 on the road this season, but rank inside the top 100 across the board nationally in defense.

Why Bet On No. 8 Wisconsin

The eighth-ranked Badgers (5-5-1 ATS) had their latest scheduled game against the Penn State Nittany Lions postponed due to COVID-19. Wisconsin released a statement, stating the rescheduling of the game was “mutually agreed upon by both teams due to health and safety concerns.”

The Badgers did pick up an impressive 71-59 smackdown win over No. 21 Minnesota in their last contest on Dec. 31 to bounce back from its 70-64 upset home loss against Maryland in its previous game. Senior forward Micah Potter scored a team-high 18 points while adding 11 rebounds in the win over the Golden Gophers.

“That (energy) was lacking in the Maryland game,” Potter said. “I’m sure it was visible from where you guys are, where you watch the game. That was the biggest thing, just keeping the same energy that we had in the first half.”

D’Mitrik Trice and Aleem Ford both added 14 points for the Badgers in the win. Wisconsin held Minnesota to just 22 first half points before opening the second half with a 16-5 run that effectively put the Gophers away.

The Badgers have gone a near-perfect 8-1 at home this season while ranking a stellar 21st nationally in points allowed and 20th in field goal shooting defense.

Expert Analysis and Prediction

Wisconsin has won two straight over Indiana and seven of the last eight meetings overall including a 60-56 road win last season. The Badgers have gone 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings and 4-2 ATS in their last six games. Indiana has gone 1-3 ATS in its last four games.

More importantly, outside of star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, i don’t think the Hoosiers have nearly enough offensive firepower to get past a Wisconsin defense that is as good as any in the country. Each of Wisconsin’s last three home wins in this series have come by at least 10 points with the Badgers recording an emphatic 84-64 blowout win in 2019 the last time they played in Wisconsin. I like the Badgers to pick up another double-digit win this time around.

Pick: Wisconsin 74 Indiana 64

Previous Betting News

Okay MyBookie college basketball betting faithful…you’re going to be treated to what promises to be a thrilling affair when the sixth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers host the 21st-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers on the final day of 2020.

Wisconsin has the higher national ranking, but the Badgers took an untimely loss the last time out. Minnesota comes into this matchup off of consecutive Big Ten wins over nationally ranked rivals. Now, let’s find out where the best NCAA Basketball betting value lies in this matchup so you can get all set to make your bets against their College Basketball odds.

College Basketball Predictions – No. 21 Minnesota at No. 6 Wisconsin

Why Bet On No. 21 Minnesota

The Golden Gophers have won three straight games including consecutive wins over then, No. 4 Iowa on Christmas Day, followed up by a 81-56 rout of then, No. 17 Michigan State on Monday. Minnesota led wire-to-wire and got a team-high 19 points from Marcus Carr in the win.

“It confirmed that we’re a tough team and a determined team,” Minnesota center Liam Robbins said after recording 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the dominating victory. “It just shows this group is just willing to do anything to get it done.”

The Golden Gophers have played just one true road game this season, a 92-65 loss at then-No. 13 Illinois on Dec. 15. Still, head coach Richard Pitino stressed the importance of being patient and resilient and his team has responded.

“Illinois absolutely kicked our butts, and we didn’t freak out,” Pitino said. “It’s only worth one.”

Minnesota averages 84.3 points per game (31st) on 43.3 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent from beyond the arc. The Golden Gophers allow 73.9 points per game defensively on 39.9 percent shooting from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point distance.

Why Bet On  No. 6 Wisconsin

Sixth-ranked Wisconsin had its five-game winning streak snapped in Monday’s 70-64 home loss against Maryland. The Badgers got a game-high 25 points from D’Mitrik Trice, but Aleem Ford was the only other Wisconsin player to score in double figures with 10 points.

“We knew we have a target on our back, and we need to be more aggressive in the way we play and the way we approach the game, and (Monday) we didn’t do that,” the Badgers’ forward Aleem Ford said.

Maryland, drained 11 of its final 12 shots to get the win while placing three players in double figures in scoring.

“It’s better that it happened now, so we can learn from our experiences to where we’re better in the long run,” Ford said.

Wisconsin averages 76.7 points per game on 46.2 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Badgers limit the opposition to just 60.6 points per game (25th) on 38.7 percent shooting from the field and 34.3 percent from downtown.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-1) Vs Wisconsin Badgers (8-2)

When: Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 at 4:30 PM ET
Where: Kohl Center, Madison, WI
TV: BTN
NCAAB Odds: TBD

Expert Analysis and Prediction

Wisconsin might have the higher national ranking and better defensive unit in this matchup, but Minnesota has the far more potent offense and the Golden Gophers are blossoming right now. Minnesota has won 11 of its last 12 games dating back to last season while going 4-1 ATS over its last five games and an identical 4-1 ATS in its last five Big Ten battles.

Wisconsin has won 16 of its last 18 games overall while going 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games in the month of December. The Badgers are a modest 4-2 ATS in their last six games and Minnesota has the look of a team that knows it belongs among the elite teams in the country.

Wisconsin has won eight of the last 10 meetings, but these two Big Ten rivals have split the last 10 meetings against the spread  while playing Under the total seven times during the span. Minnesota not only covers the spread as a slight road dog, but the Gophers do so by winning outright!

Pick: Minnesota 75 Wisconsin 72

Previous Betting News

The ninth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers will look to extend their winning ways when they hit the road to take on 12th-ranked Michigan State Spartans on Christmas day. While Wisconsin is on a red-hot roll, Michigan State will look to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season the last time out. Now, let’s find out where the best betting value lies in this matchup so you can make your bets against their College Basketball odds.

NCAA Basketball Predictions – No. 9 Wisconsin at No. 12 Michigan State

Why Bet On No. 9 Wisconsin

Wisconsin has won four straight games and comes into this matchup fresh off a convincing 67-53 smackdown of Nebraska in their Big Ten opener on Tuesday. While the Badgers shot a miserable 1 for 15 on their first 16 field-goal attempts, Wisconsin still managed to lead 25-24 at the half.

“That’s why you rely on your defense, when you have a half or part of a half like we did in the first half where it’s hard to find the basket,” Badgers head coach Greg Gard said.

Wisconsin outscored Nebraska 42-29 in the second half to get the double-digit win while holding the Cornhuskers to a dismal 33.3 percent shooting mark from the field and 30.0 percent from beyond the arc.

The Badgers rank a stellar 15th nationally in points allowed (57.5 ppg) while holding their opponents to just 36.2 percent shooting from the field (14th). Offensively, Wisconsin averages a solid 77.3 points per game. While the Badgers don’t necessarily have a star go-to player, they share the ball well with four players averaging double figures in scoring. 6-10 junior forward puts up a team-high 13.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but Wisconsin wants to be known for their defense according to their head coach.

“They want to be the best defensive team in the country,” Gard said. “That’s an everyday challenge. Obviously, experience helps … it takes a long time to become a good defensive team.”

Why Bet On No. 12 Michigan State

Michigan State had won six straight to open the season, but the Spartans were smacked around in their embarrassing 79-65 loss against Northwestern in their conference opener on Sunday while trailing by double digits the entire second half after going into the break down 13 points.

Junior forward Aaron Henry scored a team-high 11 points, but the Spartans had no answer for Wildcats sophomore guard Boo Buie who went off for a game-high 30 points while draining five of six from downtown.

“Obviously still disappointed, not by the loss but just by how we played,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “And yet, I’m going to look myself in the mirror and say, ‘You know what, there’s going to be some ups and downs and there’s going to be some mind-boggling days when you just say, ‘What’s going on?’ “

Still, head coach Tom Izzo said he expects his team to bounce back in this big matchup.

“I do think it was a learning experience for us, that you have to play with energy every single day,” he said. “We got some things worked out. We worked hard the last two or three days so that doesn’t happen again.”

Michigan State averages a healthy 82.0 points per game (57th) but give ups 73.3 points per contest defensively (214st).

Expert Analysis and Prediction

I know Wisconsin has lost 12 straight road games against Michigan State, but I’m banking on the Badgers to snap that streak in this meeting as a value-packed 2-point road dog. Wisconsin has gone 7-1-1 ATS in their last 9 games against a team with a winning percentage above .600 and 6-2-2 ATS in their last 10 games against a team with a winning straight up record. Michigan State has gone an uninspiring 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall. Wisconsin recorded a thrilling 64-63 home win the last time these two met in February and now, I like the Badgers to go back-to-back!

Pick: Wisconsin 77 Michigan State 68

Previous Betting News

On Friday night, Michigan State looks to bounce back after one of their worst defeats in history. The Purdue Boilermakers pummeled MSU 71-42. Can the favored Spartans get back on the winning track? Or, will Wisconsin add to Michigan State’s woes? Can the Badgers cover the spread? Check out the college basketball odds, analysis and a free pick for Wisconsin vs Michigan State!

Wisconsin vs Michigan State 2020 College Basketball Odds, Preview & Pick

When: Friday, Jan. 17 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing, MI
TV: FS1
ATS Odds: Michigan State -9 ½
Over/Under Odds: 131

Why the Wisconsin Badgers are a good bet +9 ½?

Wisconsin is in a groove. Illinois beat them 71-70. But other than that loss, the Badgers have rolled. They’re 6-1 SU and 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7. The Badgers have played their best basketball in their last couple of games. They beat Penn State 58-49. Then, they took down Maryland 56-54. Wisconsin should at least keep it close versus the Michigan State Spartans.

Why the Michigan State Spartans are a good bet -9 ½?

Michigan State has 1 against the spread loss in their last 6. Although it was a devastating loss, Tom Izzo’s squad should bounce back on Friday night. The Badgers were 5-0 ATS before the Purdue game. Among their victories were 20-point wins over Illinois and a 21-point victory over rival Michigan. Expect MSU to get back on track with a win and cover on Jan. 17.

Wisconsin vs Michigan State Final Betting Analysis

No way Michigan State doesn’t play better on Friday night than they did versus the Boilermakers. But we shouldn’t discount how the Badgers have played in recent games. Wisconsin struggled to start the season.

They haven’t struggled in recent matchups. The Badgers are a solid basketball squad. They win via their defense, which allows 59.8 points per. Michigan State plays slow when they face slow teams. That’s how Purdue got ahead of them by so many points.

Wisconsin will play a similar game on Friday. The Badgers force you to play their style. They shouldn’t upset Sparty. The Badgers should cover, though. Go with Wisconsin.

NCAAB Free Pick: Wisconsin +9 ½

Previous Betting News

There is a tight race taking place at the top of the Big 10 Conference right now, and the #2 ranked Maryland Terrapins find themselves right in the thick of the action. With the race so close, every game becomes crucial, which adds a little extra spice to the match-up versus the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday. The game takes place at the XFINITY Center.The full odds for this one will be up at MyBookie.ag as soon as they are made available.

How to bet on Wisconsin Badgers Vs Maryland Terrapins Game and TV Info

When: Saturday, February 13, 6:30 PM EST
Where: XFINITY Center, College Park, Maryland
TV: ESPN

The last time these two teams met, we were treated to a game that went right down to the wire. It was Maryland who won that one, and the expectation is that they will be made the favorite for this game, especially as they hold the home court advantage. This has all the makings of another close one, which makes for a good betting game.

Why bet on the Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers (15-9, 7-4) are on a hot streak right now, and that makes them a very dangerous proposition. They have won 6 straight games coming into this one, and have taken the scalps of a couple of ranked teams along the way. It was a rough start to conference play for the Badgers, which was the same time as their loss to the Terrapins went down. The Badgers have won their last two games on the road, including a gritty OT win versus Indiana. For the most part, it has been defense that has carried the Badgers through this winning streak, and they are going to have to be at their very best to shut down the Terrapins on Saturday. Wisconsin are averaging 69.7 PPG, and are giving up 64.8 PPG.

Why bet on the Maryland Terrapins

The Terrapins (22-3, 10-2) are another team on a good run of form, as they are coming into this game having won each of their last 5. The results are all the more impressive when you consider that the Terrapins could have gone in the tank after losing to Michigan State a couple of weeks back. 2 of the 3 losses that Maryland have taken this season have been against ranked opponents, and all 3 of the losses have been on the road. This is a team that has made a fortress out of their home building this season, and they will once again try to use the raucous support of their home fans to carry them past a very good Wisconsin team. The Terrapins are averaging 77.0 PPG, and are giving up 64.0 PPG.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

If the last meeting between these two teams is anything to go by, this should be a tough test for the Maryland Terrapins. It is likely going to be that home court advantage that gives them the edge in this one.

Wisconsin Badgers 69 Maryland Terrapins 71