Predictions for Wisconsin basketball NCAA Tournament game BYU Cougars

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The Wisconsin Badgers will look to prove analysts, including ESPN’s Jay Bilas, wrong when they take the court against the BYU Cougars on Saturday in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

BYU was a popular upset pick during the bracket-filling portion of the week. The team boasts KenPom’s No. 10-ranked offense, is led by an NBA draft hopeful in guard Egor Demin and has won 11 of its last 12 games. When working to identify this year’s Cinderella team, it’s easy to see why the Cougars were a common choice.

Wisconsin might be flying under the radar, especially after its tough loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament final — a game that most of the country saw, preceding CBS’ March Madness selection show. Wisconsin’s shooting numbers of 22.1% from the floor and 17.9% from three, the program’s worst in a game since 2011, was not a proper representation of the team’s true quality.

Wisconsin returned to strong form in its comfortable 85-66 first-round win over Montana on Thursday. Like BYU, the Badgers have all the ingredients for a deep run — a high-powered offense, top-end star power and a deep team of contributors.

The stage is set for what should be a fantastic game between two of the nation’s most exciting teams. The Badgers Wire staff have gathered to predict how the contest will play out:

Score predictions for Wisconsin Badgers vs. BYU Cougars

Ben Kenney: Wisconsin will need a season-best performance from its stars to survive Saturday’s test against BYU. John Tonje should lead all headlines after the contest, as he has in previous matchups against top teams. Look for team free-throw attempts and percentages to play a significant role in the result. Wisconsin is the best foul-shooting team in the country at 82.7%. BYU shoots just 70.4% from the stripe, good for 245th in the sport. If Tonje can control the game and Wisconsin can convert at the line, the Badgers should close a narrow victory. Score: Wisconsin 92, BYU 89

Mike Hall: Wisconsin’s test against BYU will…

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Publish date : 2025-03-21 16:30:00

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