The BYU Cougars and Wisconsin Badgers come off as dominant first-round victories, as each team wins by comfortable margins.
Will the Cougar’s fast-paced, high-octane offense be too much to handle for Wisconsin? Or will the Badgers’ controlled, methodical style take BYU out of its comfort zone?
BYU vs. Wisconsin Betting Preview
- Spread
Wisconsin -1 - Moneyline
Wisconsin -110, BYU -110 - Over/Under
154.5 Points - Game Time
Saturday, March 22, 7:45 p.m. ET - Location
Denver, Colorado - How to Watch
CBS
These two teams are polar opposites in terms of pace and shot selection. While BYU is quick to get out in transition and shoot threes at a high volume, Wisconsin operates at a slow pace as a heavy half-court offense.
Whichever team controls this game’s tempo will most likely advance to the Sweet 16.
Prediction for BYU vs. Wisconsin
There are key contributors on each of these teams, but the two players to watch in this one are BYU’s forward Richie Saunders and Wisconsin’s forward John Tonje. Saunders was efficient from the field against VCU, going 6-12. He left much to be desired from beyond the arc, going 1-6 from deep.
Tonje has been quiet since the Big 10 Championship game against Michigan, when he shot 1-14 from the field and 0-5 from three-point land. In the first round against Montana, Tonje did not play poorly, but he only managed five shot attempts. The majority of his production came from the free-throw line, going 9-9. If Wisconsin wants to win this game, the fifth-year senior needs to be more aggressive and efficient.
Wisconsin’s supporting cast will also be a telling part of this game. John Blackwell has been the Badgers’ second fiddle to Tonje over the last month. On Thursday, Blackwell went 7-12 for 19 points. The Badgers cannot afford to go through dry spells against BYU. Because the Cougars shoot threes at such a high clip, even a handful of those attempts could amount to 21-24 points alone.
KEEP READING: ‘People See Who I Am Now’ — A Look at the Family Background of Wisconsin’s Rising Star John Tonje
BYU’s pace could fluster Wisconsin or open up ample opportunities for easy points in transition. I will lean towards the former in this game. The Cougars score in bunches, and if a team can knock down threes at a high percentage, it can become overwhelming and challenging to overcome.
Prediction: BYU 78, Wisconsin 71
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