The Wisconsin Badgers, after receiving the NCAA Tournament’s final No. 3 seed during Selection Sunday, are set to face No. 14 Montana on Thursday afternoon. With a win, the Badgers would move on to face either No. 6 BYU or No. 11 VCU.
While Wisconsin was snubbed from the Milwaukee first-round pod, the team may have benefitted matchup-wise. Montana is the lowest-ranked No. 14 seed in the field according to KenPom, plus ranks 161st nationally. That is even five spots below No. 15-seed Omaha.
If the Badgers had drawn Milwaukee, there is a good chance they would have faced North Carolina or Ole Miss in the second round. Each of those matchups would present a greater challenge than the team’s current draw. Either way, Wisconsin has the tools to execute a deep tournament run, depending on how the team shoots from three-point range and defends the paint.
Before the focus turns to any potential second-round matchups, it’s time to preview Wisconsin’s upcoming game against Montana. Here are three keys to victory for the Badgers in their NCAA Tournament opener:
Play competent defense
Wisconsin’s defense has taken a massive jump over the past few weeks. It was a big reason why the team made another run to the Big Ten Tournament title game. The games against UCLA and Michigan State are two primary instances where Wisconsin’s defense looked like the best it has all season.
Montana isn’t the most complete team, but has the tools to make some noise offensively. The Badgers need to effectively defend both the three-point shot and the paint to put the Grizzlies away early. Montana ranks 55th in the country in three-point percentage (36.5%) and 17th in two-point percentage (57.3%), meaning this game may not be a cakewalk. Expect the Wisconsin frontcourt to play a big role against Montana’s undersized bigs.
Feed Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter offensively
While Wisconsin’s frontcourt may have shown its limitations when facing teams with top-end size, including Michigan, it has shown time and time again that it can feast against smaller bigs. Steven Crowl, who had a rough outing in the Big Ten title game, should have no issue getting good looks in the post against Montana, whose biggest forward is only 6’8″. It will also be important for forward Nolan Winter to get his fair share of good looks, both from beyond the arc and in the paint. Expect a big game on both ends of the court from these two.
Wisconsin must forget about Sunday’s heartbreaking loss
Wisconsin struggled in its first-round game last year against James Madison, falling 72-61 in an upset. The Badgers cannot let the Big Ten title loss weigh on them for the second-straight season. Instead, they must focus on the task ahead. Unlike last year’s squad, this Wisconsin team has the depth and talent to make a Final Four run. Now, it just needs to capitalize on that opportunity.
Players including John Tonje and Max Klesmit, each had poor shooting performances against Michigan, need to regroup and channel their frustration into beating Montana. A comfortable opening-round victory should set the tone for the rest of the tournament and is crucial for the Badgers to achieve their ceiling.
Expect a solid start offensively from Montana, but ultimately a contest that the Badgers control throughout. Wisconsin shouldn’t have too much trouble with the Grizzlies, who rank as the luckiest team in the country per KenPom.
Final Prediction: Wisconsin 83, Montana 67
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