James Madison vs Wisconsin Expert Picks, Predictions & Odds

• James Madison vs Wisconsin takes place at the Barclays Center on Friday night (9:40 pm ET)
• The #12 James Madison Dukes tied for the most wins in the country at 31-3
• See below for James Madison vs Wisconsin expert picks, predictions, and odds

The #12 James Madison Dukes (31-3, 5-0 neutral, 18-14-1 ATS) look to add to the nation’s longest win streak (13 games) when they face the #5 Wisconsin Badgers (22-13, 5-1 neutral, 16-18-1 ATS) in first-round action in the South Region of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

JMU vs Wisconsin takes place at the Barclays Center in New York at 9:40 pm ET and the Badgers are listed as sizable favorites.

James Madison vs Wisconsin Odds

The Badgers are 5.5-point chalk in the James Madison vs Wisconsin odds and -238 on the moneyline to advance. The Dukes are +195 underdogs to move on to the second round of the March Madness bracket, where they would face the winner of #13 Vermont vs #4 Duke.

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With #3 Kentucky falling to #14 Oakland last night elsewhere in the South Region, both JMU and Wisconsin already saw their Final Four odds improve. The Badgers are +1300 to win the region while JMU is +7500.

James Madison Likes to Run

The Dukes finished the season averaging 84.4 points per game,, 13th-most in the nation, and sit 54th in offensive efficiency at KenPom. Junior guard Terrence Edwards Jr averages at team-high 17.4 PPG and 3.5 APG, while 6’9 forward TJ Bickerstaff is adding 13.4 point and 8.5 rebounds per night.

JMU started the season with one of the best wins in school history, beating then-#4 Michigan State 77-75 OT on the road. Edwards had a team-high 24 points while Bickerstaff grabbed 14 rebounds as the Dukes finished with a 51-48 edge on the glass.

The Michigan State win was part of a 14-0 start to the season for the Dukes, but it was their only win all year that came against a top-100 team. JMU lost both its regular-season games to App State (82nd at KenPom), which won the Sun Belt regular-season title, and then didn’t have to face the Mountaineers in the conference tournament.

This is JMU’s first tournament appearance since 2013 and the first under head coach Mark Byington.

Wisconsin Finishes Season on 6-9 Skid

The Badgers had the look of a national-championship contender during a 13-3 start to the season, which included wins over Virginia (65-41 neutral), Marquette (75-64 home), and Michigan State (70-57 away). But an 8-1 record in Big Ten play faded to 11-9 by the end of the season.

The Badgers regained their composure in the conference tournament, winning three in a row to reach the Big Ten championship game, where they fell to Illinois (93-87).

Wisconsin doesn’t play at a fast pace (308th in tempo) but they do have an excellent offense. Averaging 75.8 PPG on the season, they rate 11th in offensive efficiency and have a 52.4 effective field-goal percentage.

Sophomore St John’s transfer AJ Storr immediately became the team’s offensive leader during his first season in Madison, averaging 16.9 points per game to lead the Badgers. With seven-foot Steven Crowl (7.1 RPG) and 6’9 Tyler Wahl (5.4 RPG) patrolling the post, Wisconsin is excellent on the defensive glass, grabbing 75.4% of defensive rebounds.

JMU vs WISC Expert Picks

Wisconsin has obviously faced much stiffer competition. Only seven of the Badgers’ 35 games came against teams outside of KenPom’s top 100, while JMU only played three games against teams inside the top 100.

But winning becomes a habit, and the Dukes have acquired it. They won’t lack for confidence after beating the Spartans in East Lansing. The Badgers should have an edge in rebounding, but they aren’t terribly proficient on the offensive glass, and Wisconsin’s excellent defensive rebounding only becomes a major issue of JMU is cold.

Wisconsin is a solid team and a deserving favorite, but the price for a JMU win (+190) is worth a bet on a Dukes upset.

James Madison vs Wisconsin prediction: JMU moneyline (+190)