Wisconsin vs. James Madison NCAA Tournament Round 1: How to watch, odds and predictions for March Madness

Wisconsin begins its March Madness run with a first-round matchup against the red-hot James Madison Dukes. Wisconsin is also coming in on a bit of a hit streak of thier own. Yes, they lost in the Big Ten Championship to Illinois, but they made a great run, especially after ending the regular season the way they did.

Wisconsin struggled towards the end of the regular season and could have had themselves as a higher seed in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, but they slumped at the wrong time. However, worked a came out of the slump at the right time.

This is going to be a tough matchup for the Badgers and this is a game that a lot of people gave circled as a potential upset. I would be lying if I said I didn't think was a potential upset as well, but with how Wisconsin looked in the Big Ten Tournament, they gave me a lot more confidence with their play and ability to shoot the three ball, which I have said before was a weak spot for this team.

How to watch Wisconsin vs. James Madison in the NCAA Tournament Round 1

Date: Friday, March 22
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Streaming: NCAA March Madness Live I fuboTV
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson

Wisconsin vs. James Madison NCAA Tournament Round 1 odds

Wisconsin is a smaller favorite than you would expect a five-seed to be, but I think the oddsmakers are giving James Madison some respect. I think a 5.5-point favorite is a good line, and they are expecting a lot of scoring with the over/under set at 145.

Wisconsin vs. James Madison NCAA Tournament Round 1 prediction

This is a tough game to pick because I think both teams have hit their stride at the right time. The one thing that worries me about Wisconsin is that James Madison can shoot the three-ball well and the Badgers struggle with three-point defense. I also worry about the fact that Wisconsin played thier last game just four days ago while James Madison played theirs over a week and a half ago.

The turnaround for Wisconsin is fast, but it could also serve as an advantage. They are still in mode while James Madison could come out a little cold. If that is the case, the Badgers need to take advantage early and build a lead. I think for that very reason, I am going to go with Wisconsin on this one, but it will be a close game that could come down to the wire.