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The Wisconsin Badgers will look to prove analysts, including ESPN's Jay Bilas, wrong when they take the court against the BYU Cougars on Saturday in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
BYU was a popular upset pick during the bracket-filling portion of the week. The team boasts KenPom's No. 10-ranked offense, is led by an NBA draft hopeful in guard Egor Demin and has won 11 of its last 12 games. When working to identify this year's Cinderella team, it's easy to see why the Cougars were a common choice.
Wisconsin might be flying under the radar, especially after its tough loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament final -- a game that most of the country saw, preceding CBS' March Madness selection show. Wisconsin's shooting numbers of 22.1% from the floor and 17.9% from three, the program's worst in a game since 2011, was not a proper representation of the team's true quality.
Wisconsin returned to strong form in its comfortable 85-66 first-round win over Montana on Thursday. Like BYU, the Badgers have all the ingredients for a deep run -- a high-powered offense, top-end star power and a deep team of contributors.
The stage is set for what should be a fantastic game between two of the nation's most exciting teams. The Badgers Wire staff have gathered to predict how the contest will play out:
Ben Kenney: Wisconsin will need a season-best performance from its stars to survive Saturday's test against BYU. John Tonje should lead all headlines after the contest, as he has in previous matchups against top teams. Look for team free-throw attempts and percentages to play a significant role in the result. Wisconsin is the best foul-shooting team in the country at 82.7%. BYU shoots just 70.4% from the stripe, good for 245th in the sport. If Tonje can control the game and Wisconsin can convert at the line, the Badgers should close a narrow victory. Score: Wisconsin 92, BYU 89
Mike Hall: Wisconsin’s test against BYU will shape out to be one of the toughest of the 2024-25 slate. The Cougars boasted KenPom’s No. 10 offense entering the Big Dance, and Kevin Young’s group posted another efficient offensive output against VCU on Thursday. BYU’s 80 points against the Rams on Thursday is all the more impressive considering VCU’s stout defense -- KenPom’s No. 27-ranked unit. The Cougars have dropped at least 90 points in nine contests this season and sit No. 28 in points per game (81.0), an overall representation of a team that boasts eight players responsible for at least 7.1 points per appearance.
Luckily for Wisconsin, Greg Gard’s crew can rival what BYU offers on the offensive end. Wisconsin’s entire starting five scores at least nine points per game, and the Badgers are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation. On top of that, UW’s No. 1 and 2 options, John Tonje and John Blackwell, are much more dangerous than BYU’s Richie Saunders and Egor Demin. Wisconsin’s mixture of star power and experience playing top-end Big Ten opponents will prove the difference. Score: Wisconsin 82, BYU 77
Connor Whelan: BYU is a tough team to face in the round of 32. The Cougars have been one of the hottest teams in the country over the last few weeks. Wisconsin finding a win over a group that has won 11 of 12 won't be an easy task, but I feel confident that the Badgers will be ready for the test. Score: Wisconsin 83, BYU 76
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Predictions for Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament game BYU Cougars
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BYU was a popular upset pick during the bracket-filling portion of the week. The team boasts KenPom's No. 10-ranked offense, is led by an NBA draft hopeful in guard Egor Demin and has won 11 of its last 12 games. When working to identify this year's Cinderella team, it's easy to see why the Cougars were a common choice.
Wisconsin might be flying under the radar, especially after its tough loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament final -- a game that most of the country saw, preceding CBS' March Madness selection show. Wisconsin's shooting numbers of 22.1% from the floor and 17.9% from three, the program's worst in a game since 2011, was not a proper representation of the team's true quality.
Wisconsin returned to strong form in its comfortable 85-66 first-round win over Montana on Thursday. Like BYU, the Badgers have all the ingredients for a deep run -- a high-powered offense, top-end star power and a deep team of contributors.
The stage is set for what should be a fantastic game between two of the nation's most exciting teams. The Badgers Wire staff have gathered to predict how the contest will play out:
Score predictions for Wisconsin Badgers vs. BYU Cougars
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Ben Kenney: Wisconsin will need a season-best performance from its stars to survive Saturday's test against BYU. John Tonje should lead all headlines after the contest, as he has in previous matchups against top teams. Look for team free-throw attempts and percentages to play a significant role in the result. Wisconsin is the best foul-shooting team in the country at 82.7%. BYU shoots just 70.4% from the stripe, good for 245th in the sport. If Tonje can control the game and Wisconsin can convert at the line, the Badgers should close a narrow victory. Score: Wisconsin 92, BYU 89
Mike Hall: Wisconsin’s test against BYU will shape out to be one of the toughest of the 2024-25 slate. The Cougars boasted KenPom’s No. 10 offense entering the Big Dance, and Kevin Young’s group posted another efficient offensive output against VCU on Thursday. BYU’s 80 points against the Rams on Thursday is all the more impressive considering VCU’s stout defense -- KenPom’s No. 27-ranked unit. The Cougars have dropped at least 90 points in nine contests this season and sit No. 28 in points per game (81.0), an overall representation of a team that boasts eight players responsible for at least 7.1 points per appearance.
Luckily for Wisconsin, Greg Gard’s crew can rival what BYU offers on the offensive end. Wisconsin’s entire starting five scores at least nine points per game, and the Badgers are one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation. On top of that, UW’s No. 1 and 2 options, John Tonje and John Blackwell, are much more dangerous than BYU’s Richie Saunders and Egor Demin. Wisconsin’s mixture of star power and experience playing top-end Big Ten opponents will prove the difference. Score: Wisconsin 82, BYU 77
Connor Whelan: BYU is a tough team to face in the round of 32. The Cougars have been one of the hottest teams in the country over the last few weeks. Wisconsin finding a win over a group that has won 11 of 12 won't be an easy task, but I feel confident that the Badgers will be ready for the test. Score: Wisconsin 83, BYU 76
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Predictions for Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament game BYU Cougars
Continue reading...
