The Big Ten semifinals kick off on Saturday, March 14 with Wisconsin vs. Michigan at 1 p.m. ET.
They played once with Wisconsin winning 91-88 on the road.
The Wolverines are 12.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 161.5 points.
Here’s my prediction, preview and pick for Saturday’s Wisconsin vs. Michigan matchup.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan prediction, preview
Michigan finished the regular season 30-2 and ranked No. 3 in the country. Few teams have been as consistent and dominant as the Wolverines this season. That said, Wisconsin was one of the two teams that broke through, and it did so on Michigan’s home court.
The Badgers are the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and No. 23 in the country. They played two postseason games already, defeating unranked Washington in regulation and No. 9 Illinois in overtime. Both games were three-point wins, so the team didn’t dominate its way to the semifinals.
John Blackwell and Nick Boyd are leading the Badgers throughout the tournament with massive scoring performances in back-to-back games. Boyd had 23 points against Washington and 38 against Illinois. Blackwell had 34 against Washington and 31 against Illinois.
This duo was also difficult to slow down in the regular season matchup vs. Michigan, as Blackwell had 26 and Boyd had 22. Michigan’s best path to victory is slowing these two down as much as possible. The Wolverines can’t let one, or both, get hot because it could cost the team a shot at the conference championship.
Michigan has been one of the most consistent teams in the country, but Wisconsin is one of two teams that found gaps in the system. If the Badgers can replicate what they did in January, this will be a close matchup.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan pick, best bet
This is the second matchup between these two teams, so it’s reasonable to believe Michigan adjusts from its upset loss in January. That said, the Badgers are on fire, winning five straight, including games against No. 15 Purdue and No. 9 Illinois.
This is at a neutral site, which is already an easier environment than the January game in Michigan. The Badgers may not win, but Michigan won’t get rid of them easily.
