NCAA Tournament: Wisconsin vs. Oregon fearless prediction and game preview.
Broadcast
Date: Friday, March 22
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Network: TBS
All You Really Need To Know About Wisconsin (23-10)
(Big Ten), NCAA NET Rank: 17. South 5-seed
There were a few weird losses along the way, but the Badgers struggled with Michigan State, Maryland, and lost to Virginia. They were Wisconsin enough to stuff Michigan in January, and went on a nice 12-3 run before getting knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament, but there are massive issues.
The defense is among the best in the tournament, but the Badgers really, really can’t hit free throws, and they’re not good enough from three. They have to keep games in the 60s, they have to be good on the boards, and they control the tempo. But they can’t get caught in a scoring-fest.
All You Really Need To Know About Oregon (23-12)
(Pac-12), NCAA NET Rank: 51. South 12-seed
It might have been a rough go in the middle of the season with just four wins in a ten game stretch, and then everything came together with an eight-win run to the Pac-12 title. Star 7-3 C Bol Bol was knocked out for the year with a foot injury, but the team picked it up late in the year with good balance and a whole lot of depth.
The defense is a killer, leading the Pac-12 with a suffocating style that destroyed Washington in the Pac-12 title game and crushes teams that shoot the three. There’s enough offense from the outside to keep up the pace, but get ready for a grind against these Ducks.
– Fill out your bracket in the CFN NCAA Tournament Pool
What’s Going To Happen
Within reason, you couldn’t possibly pick a better team for each one to face in the first round. Neither one will go off offensively, and they’ll both want to win with a tough, aggressive defense.
The Badgers have to shake off the doldrums after a bad Big Ten Tournament, and they will. It’ll be a tough, rough, battle of a game with both teams loading up on the defensive side. Wisconsin does the whole Wisconsin thing better.
Fearless Prediction & Line
Wisconsin 64, Oregon 60
Line: Wisconsin -1, o/u: 118.5
ATS Confidence: 3.5
5: Watching games by Vegas pool working on fruity drink No. 3
1: Watching game online while doing TPS reports in your cubicle
