The James Madison Dukes are in search of their first NCAA Tournament win since 1982 but will have to get through the fifth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers Friday night to do so.
James Madison Dukes vs. Wisconsin Badgers (-5.5, 145)
The Dukes are one of the most balanced teams in the nation, ranking inside the top 20 in both points scored and points allowed on a per-possession basis — grouped among other schools such as Connecticut, McNeese, Arizona, and Auburn.
While the Badgers enter the NCAA Tournament in better form than in February, the team is still just 6-9 in their last 15 games after a hot 16-4 start and have yet to figure things out defensively.
Out of the 362 Division I teams, Wisconsin ranks 188th in points allowed on a per-possession basis and is allowing opponents to shoot 39.2% from 3-point range in road games, which ranks 355th in the nation.
In games either on the road or in a neutral court environment, Wisconsin is just 8-10 this season with its offense scoring just 9.7 points per 100 possessions and its 2-point shooting percentage dropping from 57.5% at home to 48.2% on the road, which ranks 218th.
With James Madison ranked second in opponent 3-point shooting percentage and having already defeated a Big Ten NCAA Tournament team on the road (Michigan State to open the season), Wisconsin will find itself on the wrong side of a 12-seed taking down a 5-seed.
The Play: James Madison +5.5
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