The #12 James Madison Dukes (31-3) have a date with #5 Wisconsin Badgers (22-13) in a much anticipated NCAA tournament 1st round matchup Friday night in Brooklyn. The Dukes have had an incredible year, stacking up 31 wins. On the other hand, the Badgers have had yet another steady season with coach Greg Gard at the helm.
Will James Madison’s dream season continue, or will Wisconsin say “not so fast”?
James Madison Dukes vs Wisconsin Badgers Betting Odds
|
Team |
Spread |
Total |
MoneyLine |
|
James Madison Dukes |
+5 -105 |
O 145 -108 |
185 |
|
Wisconsin Badgers |
-5 -115 |
U 145 -112 |
-225 |
|
**Odds Courtesy of DraftKings** |
|||
James Madison Dukes vs Wisconsin Badgers Game Details
- Fixture: James Madison Dukes vs Wisconsin Badgers
- Date and Time: March 22, 2024 @ 9:40 pm EST
- Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
Apex Tale of the Tape
|
James Madison |
Vs. |
Wisconsin |
|
31-3 |
Record |
22-13 |
|
84.4 |
Points Per Game |
75.1 |
|
48% |
FG% |
46.3% |
|
36.5% |
3PT% |
34.8% |
|
38.8 |
Rebounds Per Game |
33.9 |
|
69.2 |
Points Allowed Per Game |
69.9 |
|
41.3% |
Defensive FG% |
45.8% |
|
28.8% |
Defensive 3PT% |
37.1% |
|
73.1% |
Defensive FT% |
72.5% |
|
23.8 |
Defensive Rebounds Against |
23.1 |
|
5-0 |
Last 5 W-L |
3-2 |
|
70.2 |
Team Pace |
72.1 |
Key Stats
James Madison Dukes
James Madison is coming off the best regular season in school history. The Dukes won a whopping 31 games, which is the most in the country this year. They are led by guard Terrence Edwards (17.4 PPG) and forward TJ Bickerstaff (13.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG). Furthermore, the Dukes have one of the most efficient offenses in the country as they are 10th in the nation in points per game and 26th in field goal percentage.
Wisconsin Badgers
Regardless of what year it is, Wisconsin always seems to find a way to end the year towards the top of the Big Ten with 20 wins. St. Johns transfer guard AJ Storr leads the way for the Badgers, averaging 17 points a game. Wisconsin is coming off an impressive showing in the Big Ten tournament. While Illinois took the Badgers out in the final, Wisconsin picked up a huge semi-final win over #1-seeded Purdue.
Game Prediction
This is one of these 12v5 matchups that are begging you to take the 12 seed. JMU has been a great story and are very fun to watch. Their offense is incredible. However, it is hard to tell if they will still have that type of success outside of the Sun Belt conference opponents. To me, this Wisconsin team doesn’t do anything great. They don’t have the strength to hang their hat on, and their finishing 5th in a mediocre Big Ten doesn’t move me. Give me James Madison to cover all day.
Final Pick
James Madison +5
About the Author
Cory is an Oregon Duck alumni and has been following college basketball closely for years. He has attended over 30 games across the country this season alone. Follow Cory on X @cory_pappas1 for more game previews. It’s March!
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