Wisconsin Basketball: 3 Keys to a Badgers Victory vs. James Madison

The 2024 NCAA Tournament has arrived and Wisconsin basketball is back in the big dance! The Badgers drew the number 5 seed in the South region. They will take on the 12 seed James Madison Dukes Friday night in Brooklyn. The Dukes come into this game 31-3 and on a 13 game winning streak, the longest active streak in the country. They also own a win against Michigan State.

A lot of people will pick the Dukes to beat Wisconsin basketball. Can the Badgers get it done Friday night advance to take on Duke or Vermont Sunday? Tip time is 8:50 PM. Here are the keys to a Round of 64 win.

Wisconsin Basketball Has to Contain the Dukes Athleticism

Over the course of this week looking at this match-up, the Dukes are likely the more athletic team in this game. They place with good pace and they want to use their athleticism to their advantage. Things like this can bother this Wisconsin basketball team.

On the other hand, Wisconsin also likes to play with some pace and score the basketball. So can the Dukes. Both teams have struggled on the defensive side at time. As a result, I expect this to be a high scoring game. I think Wisconsin basketball has to slow this game down and get back on defense. If they can take away the flow and pace of James Madison, I like their chances.

Steven Crowl and Tyler Wahl Need to Own the Paint

The clear advantage Wisconsin has is the height. The Dukes will not have a player taller than 6’9 out on the court. After having a fantastic weekend in Minneapolis, Steven Crowl needs to be a focal part of this game.

I like where Crowl has take his game over the last few weeks. He has been called out numerous times this season for lack of aggressiveness at times. We saw a more aggressive Crowl at the Big Ten Tournament. I t paid off as he was the best player on the court at times not named Chucky Hepburn. I want to see him attack the rim early and often. The Dukes don’t have a ton of depth at forward and two early fouls on a player could be a bad sign for them.

Wisconsin Basketball Must Defend and Shoot the Three

“James Madison is 17-0 this season when shooting 37.5% or better from beyond the arc. Wisconsin gives up the highest 3-point percentage (37.1%) of any team in the field.” https://t.co/hh8CaMQHtL pic.twitter.com/f9R5Sf06Xz

— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) March 20, 2024

Expect James Madison and Wisconsin basketball to shoot a ton of threes Friday night. If the Badgers shoot the way they did in Minneapolis, I don’t see them having any issues with the Dukes.

However, if they are struggling to shoot and can’t get back on defense, this is a James Madison team that will take advantage of it and make you pay. At the end of the day, the Badgers are going to have to make shots. They don’t really have a defense they can rely on like in years past.

On the other hand, Wisconsin basketball has to make sure they are closing out on three point shots and not let the Dukes get comfortable. They can be dangerous from three. It reminds me of Colgate in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Badgers let them get conformable in the second half and they buried a ton of threes. This year, I can’t see Wisconsin coming back if something similar to that happens.

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