Montana vs. Wisconsin March Madness Preview and Prediction
In the No. 14 vs. No. 3 matchup in the NCAA Tournament East Region, the Montana Grizzlies face the Wisconsin Badgers in first-round action.
Make VSiN your home for the duration of the NCAA Tournament and beyond. Take advantage of our college basketball betting tools and previews and predictions on every single March Madness game. We have College Basketball Betting Splits from DraftKings Sportsbook and Circa Sports, updated Vegas College Basketball Odds, College Basketball Odds from other states, College Basketball Matchup Data, and more.
Check out Greg Peterson’s Daily College Basketball Lines, Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings Lines, and look at College Basketball Picks from our VSiN Experts.
How to Watch Montana vs. Wisconsin
When: 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 20th
Where: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
Watch: TNT
Odds for Montana vs. Wisconsin
(odds current at time of publish)
Spread: Wisconsin -17.5 (-115), Montana +17.5 (-105)
Total: Over 148.5 (-110), Under 148.5 (-110)
DraftKings Betting Splits | Live College Basketball Odds | Montana vs. Wisconsin Matchup Page
Montana vs. Wisconsin Preview & Prediction
The No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers and No. 14 Montana Grizzlies are set to clash in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament in Denver, Colorado. This matchup pits a Big Ten powerhouse against a high-scoring Big Sky champion, setting the stage for an intriguing battle.
Wisconsin enters the tournament with momentum, having made an impressive run to the Big Ten Tournament championship game before falling to Michigan. The Badgers boast a balanced offensive attack, averaging nearly 80 points per game with five players scoring at least 9.4 points per contest. Led by star John Tonje, who dropped 32 points in their semifinal win over Michigan State, Wisconsin’s offense has proven both efficient and dangerous. The tweaks Greg Gard made to modernize this offense clearly worked, giving the Badgers a higher ceiling than usual.
Defensively, the team excels at contesting shots and limiting second-chance opportunities. They rank in the top 40 in 2-point field goal percentage defense and above average in 3-point defense. However, their inability to force turnovers could be a weakness, as they are among the 40 worst teams in generating takeaways.
Montana, meanwhile, comes into March Madness riding a hot streak, having won 14 of their last 15 games en route to capturing the Big Sky Tournament title. The Grizzlies’ offense is their strength, ranking in the top 15 in effective field goal percentage. They shoot exceptionally well from both inside and outside the arc, placing in the top 20 in 2-point shooting and top 60 in 3-point accuracy.
However, the Grizzlies’ defense leaves much to be desired. They struggle to force turnovers and rank poorly in 2-point field goal percentage defense. This defensive vulnerability could prove problematic against a disciplined Wisconsin team that takes excellent care of the ball and shoots efficiently from all areas of the court.
The contrasting styles and strengths of these teams make for an intriguing matchup. Wisconsin’s experience, defensive prowess, and balanced scoring attack give them a clear advantage on paper. However, Montana’s high-powered offense and recent momentum could potentially keep things interesting, especially if they can get hot from beyond the arc.
Ultimately, Wisconsin’s superior talent make them heavy favorites to advance. The Badgers opened as 17.5-point favorites, with the total set at 148.5 points. While Montana has the firepower to keep things competitive early, Wisconsin’s depth and experience should allow them to pull away as the game progresses. The Badgers also happen to have a massive size advantage with the frontcourt pairing of Nolan Winter and Steven Crowl.
The only thing really standing in Wisconsin’s way is a rough schedule. After playing four games in four days in the conference tournament, the Badgers now have to play at altitude on Thursday. Will that give the Grizzlies a puncher’s chance?
Estimated Score: Wisconsin 82.9, Montana 64.9
For expert predictions, go to our college basketball best bets page.
