The Wisconsin basketball team received one of the toughest draws out of the NCAA Tournament, which could prove to be an issue.
The James Madison Dukes have entered the NCAA Tournament as a 12-seed, but hold one of the most daunting records out of the entire field. The 31-3 Dukes are coming off of a Conference Tournament win after securing the Sun Belt Conference. With the hype and success surrounding the Dukes, Wisconsin basketball has been picked as an unfortunate favorite to lose the opening round against the Dukes.
Wisconsin Basketball Facing Difficult First-Round Match-Up Against a Talented James Madison Team
The Wisconsin basketball team has received their fate, and will play against the 12-seeded James Madison Dukes to open the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin received a five-seed after nearly winning the Big Ten Conference Tournament, and with the team playing their best basketball as of late the Badgers could make some noise.
However, Wisconsin certainly did not receive a team they can sleep walk past as the Dukes hold one of the most daunting records heading into the NCAA Tournament. The 31-3 Dukes are fresh off of a Sun Belt Conference Championship win, and hope that their style of high-paced basketball can defeat the Wisconsin basketball team. Despite not having a single player over 6-foot-9-inches on their team, the Dukes are considered to be one of the top upset favorites for the NCAA Tournament.
Is the Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Team Truly as Much of an Upset Favorite as Analysts Say?
With the initial money and predictions heading towards James Madison, Wisconsin basketball looks to be a massive favorite to lose the opening round. However, the Badgers could be suffering from a major case of shock value as many have honed in on the record and success of the Dukes. James Madison has been rather successful this season, but their difficulty of schedule has been nothing to discuss as Michigan State turned out to be much worse than many originally thought.
As previously stated, the Dukes struggle with height and the size of their team was a major factor in their three losses this season. Wisconsin basketball has multiple players that can compete with the Dukes from a height perspective, which could severely limit the amount of rebounds and second-chance points James Madison can record.
There is certainly no doubt that James Madison is a strong team, but whether or not they are strong enough to take down another Big Ten Conference opponent remains to be seen.
Wisconsin Should Defeat James Madison, But What About the Winner of Duke/Vermont?
Between the difference in height, ability, and pace of play, Wisconsin basketball should be able to defeat the James Madison Dukes with the right approach. Wisconsin needs to control the boards and play basketball at their own pace to avoid allowing the Dukes to reach an early lead.
If Wisconsin walks away with a win in Brooklyn, they will need to face the winner of the Duke-Vermont game after. Ironically, Duke is also picked as one of the top teams on an upset alert for the NCAA Tournament, which could throw a wrench in who actually advances to the second round. Should it be Duke, Wisconsin basketball will be in for one tough game.
If Wisconsin faces Vermont, they will be up against a team with significant momentum and morale behind them, which could also pose a difficult challenge.
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