The Indiana Hoosiers host the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday in a Big Ten college basketball matchup. The game tips off at 12:00 p.m. ET in Bloomington, Illinois.
The Hoosiers are listed as 3.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 155.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and pick for this Big Ten college basketball matchup.
Indiana vs. Wisconsin prediction, preview
Indiana has had an up-and-down season so far, sitting right in the middle of the Big Ten with a 6-6 conference record. The Hoosiers were looking to build some momentum after their upset win over Purdue, but that has not been the case. They did pick up a nice win over UCLA, but it took them two overtimes to do it. Indiana followed that up with a loss to USC, the type of team it needs to beat to get into March Madness. The Hoosiers don’t really do anything poorly; they just aren’t among the best in the conference at anything either. This team often goes as its star guard goes. Senior Lamar Wilkerson leads the team in scoring and ranks 27th in the nation with 20.2 points per game. If Wilkerson has a big night, Indiana has a great chance to win; if not, the Badgers have a good chance to pull off the upset.
Wisconsin is having a strong season, currently sixth in the Big Ten with an 8-3 conference record. There is a clear top five in the Big Ten, all ranked in the top 12 teams in the country. Wisconsin is at the top of the second tier, trying to find the same consistency as those groups. The Badgers have proved that they can play with the best on their best day. They went on the road to Michigan and delivered the Wolverines their only loss of the season. If they want to be regarded on the same level as those top five teams, they need to consistently win games like this one against the middle-of-the-pack Big Ten teams.
Indiana vs. Wisconsin pick
My best bet is for Wisconsin to cover as 3.5-point underdogs. The Badgers have shown they are capable of greatness in their road win over Michigan. Almost all of their losses have come to elite teams as well. Three of their losses came to BYU, Nebraska and Purdue, three of the best teams in the nation. Wisconsin’s play has also translated well away from home. Their only losses in true road games this season came to Nebraska and BYU. While there should be a great atmosphere in Assembly Hall, this experienced Wisconsin crew should be ready.
The Badgers have one of the best backcourt duos in the country. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell combine to average 38.5 points per game this season. If you focus too much defensive attention on one of them, the other one will beat you. Not to mention, Wisconsin’s junior forward Nolan Winter can also give teams fits. He’s averaging 13.8 points and 8.7 boards per game this season.
Indiana wants to slow the game down, as it ranks 197th in the country in adjusted tempo. Meanwhile, the Badgers rank 72nd in adjusted tempo. They will try to speed up the Hoosiers and make them keep up with their fantastic guard duo. These teams are built somewhat similarly, but Wisconsin is just a bit better at almost everything. The Badgers have also proven to have the higher ceiling, so I’ll back them to cover the short spread in Bloomington.
