Villanova Vs Wisconsin Prediction, Pick & TV Info

As the past few years have shown, repeating as a champion is college basketball is no easy feat. It only takes one bad game to see the champions tumbling out of the tournament, which is why bettors often look elsewhere when putting money on who will make it to the top of the heap. It is the Villanova Wildcats who are taking another run at the title, and while they did eventually get through their opening round game versus Mount St. Mary’s, it ended up being a bit of a struggle for a little bit. Expect things to be even more difficult for them on Saturday, as they will be going up against a Wisconsin Badgers team that looked very composed in the opening round with a win over Virginia Tech. The road to the National Championship is never an easy one, and this is where things are going to start getting particularly tough for the Wildcats. Getting through this one and into the Sweet 16 will make that elusive title appear a little closer at hand. Find the latest college basketball point spreads here.

Here’s A Closer Look At The Wildcats Vs Badgers Prediction, Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, March 18 at 2:40 PM EST Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo TV: CBS Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NCAAB Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Villanova Wildcats

Perhaps the Villanova Wildcats went into their opening round game a little too loose against an inferior opponent, or perhaps they just had a little bit of early jitter. Whatever the case, they did not look at their best in the first half versus Mount St. Mary’s. A lot of people must have felt that one of the most stunning upsets ever was on the cards, as Villanova went in at the half with a 1-point lead. They seemed to get back to their normal self in the second half, eventually running out 76-56 winners. That first half might well be proof that this team is there for the taking, though, and a similarly sloppy performance against a much better Wisconsin team will mean an early end for the defending champs.

Why bet on the Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin always looked in control versus Virginia Tech in the opening round, eventually going on to win 84-74. If the Badgers hope to spring the upset in this one, they are going to need to find a way to win the battle of the boards. It was aggressive board play that allowed Villanova to pull away in the second half of their opening round game, and a similar performance would put Wisconsin in trouble here. This may mean that the Badgers steer clear of the 3-point attempts, or at least reduce those shots a little, as taking 31 attempts from beyond the arc may just play into the strong rebounding game of the Wildcats.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Wildcats are coming into this game as a 5.5-point favorite, and I think they might be able to cover by the slimmest margin possible. This is going to be a fun one to watch, as I think it will be close throughout.

Villanova Wildcats 88 Wisconsin Badgers 82