Virginia Tech Vs Wisconsin Free Pick, Odds & TV Info

The conference tournaments that come at the end of the regular season don’t always get the love that they should, mostly because college basketball fans are impatiently waiting for March Madness to begin. For the teams taking part in those tournaments, though, they can prove to be a bit of a blessing in disguise, as it gives them an opportunity to make up for a poor finish to the regular season. This was very much the case for the Wisconsin Badgers this year. They did not have a particularly strong finish to the regular season, but making it all the way to the Big Ten Championship game, albeit in a losing cause, will have helped them get a little bit of their swagger back heading into the tournament. The Badgers were given the #8 seed in the East Region, which means that they will have a tough opening round game versus the #9 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies. The 8 versus 9 games are generally tough to handicap, and this one should be no different. Find the latest NCAA basketball betting lines here.

Here’s A Closer Look At The Hokies Vs Badgers Free Pick, Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, March 16 at 9:40 PM EST Where: KeyBank Center, Buffalo TV: CBS Live Stream: NCAA Live NCAAB Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Virginia Tech Hokies

The Virginia Tech Hokies are a team with incredible balance on the offensive side of the ball, as they have no less than 4 players averaging in the double digits in points per game. This is a team that is a little on the smaller side, though, and they are going to have a bit of a tough time versus the Badgers, especially if the game comes down to a battle of the boards. It may be the size differential that has made this team a 5.5-point underdog for this game, but the Hokies are a team that play big, and they have enjoyed the role of underdog this season, going 10-4 ATS in those games. This is a team that you dismiss at your own peril.

Why bet on the Wisconsin Badgers

The Badgers still have some guys on the team who were part of the National Championship losing team a couple of years ago, and it’s fair to say that the majority of their squad are tournament veterans. That is one of those intangibles that is often overlooked, but which can go a long way towards taking a team past a trickier opponent, which is what the Hokies are going to be. If there is a concern with this team, it’s that their play started to slip towards the end of the season, although they did save face a little with a solid performance in the Big Ten tournament. Wisconsin were not always convincing as a favorite this season, going 15-12 ATS in those games.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Virginia Tech are going to be in trouble without the presence of Chris Clarke, and that is likely to be their undoing. I think that Wisconsin will grind out the win in what should be an entertaining game.

Virginia Tech Hokies 57 Wisconsin badgers 61