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The Wisconsin Badgers have been slipping as of late, and it’s hurting a tournament seeding that a few weeks ago looked like a top-four seed. The Badgers need to stack some wins together to move that seed back into a top-four seed. The Indiana Hoosiers have struggled most of the season to find consistency. The Hoosiers need a win in this one to keep from falling to .500 on the season.
The Hoosiers are at home, but they have struggled to win at home recently and if they fall behind early look for the Hoosier fan base to make things worse by booing.
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These odds were updated at 9 am EST on 2/27/24; the odds came from Draft Kings.
The spread on this game is hard to gauge as neither team has played well as of late. The Hoosiers are at home, but that hasn’t mattered over the last month. The value in this spread seems to favour the home team.
Wisconsin and Indiana both entered this season expecting to qualify for the NCAA tournament, and were both selected fifth and sixth by media in the Big Ten preseason poll.
Wisconsin has delivered on its part, while Indiana seems to have conceded. Losers of four consecutive games, Indiana appears likely to finish outside of KenPom’s top 100 rankings for the first time since 2010.
Assembly Hall has not been enough to save Assembly Hall-bound Hoosiers, who are just 1-4 in straight-up home games since starting the conference season 3-0. Four straight non-covers point toward doom in Bloomington.
Wisconsin is guaranteed to make it to the Big Dance but has recently suffered through an extended skid. Though they won two of their last three contests.
Road games have not been kind to Wisconsin; since January 23, they haven’t won one, and they are just 2-8 against the spread in foreign territory.
In their first encounter, both teams played efficiently, scoring freely throughout.
There is value to betting on both teams in this game; If I am betting on Wisconsin, I will take the money line at -115. The way the Badgers have played lately do not risk giving the points in this one.
Indiana’s money line is +105, but I would lean towards taking the points with the Hoosiers recent struggles.
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These teams combined for a 91-79 game last time out and the over looks like the safer bet in this game as neither team defends well. Both teams did what they wanted on offense the last time out in Madison, Wisconsin and no reason exists to believe this will not go over the 142.5 line.
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The line looks a little too big in this game. The line should be more in the two to three-point range favouring Wisconsin. Both teams are hard to trust right now.
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My top player props would be Ke’Lel Ware over 14.5 points
I also love Trey Galloway under 10.5 points; Galloway had his best game against Kansas this season and has shown that he can go off at any time. Trey has also shown that when things get desperate he is capable of willing himself to the basket.
The Badgers ran away and hid from the Hoosiers in Madison earlier this season, as the Badgers won 91-79 in a game where both offenses seemed to do what they wanted. The Badgers were playing much better at that point in the season, but both of these teams are having some issues now.
Kel’el Ware is questionable for the game as is Xavier Johnson. Indiana has not tipped their hand about the availability of either of these players. These will be most likely game time decisions. Purdue is healthy and ready to go for tonight’s matchup.
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Although Wisconsin hasn’t shown anything noteworthy on the road this season, Indiana seems destined to fall flat this time around. They’ve looked lifeless of late and are losing each of their last six contests by double digits.
Wisconsin holds an overwhelming advantage on paper and in terms of talent; their coaching matchup also heavily favors them, with many Hoosier fans disgruntled.
The spread worries me because the Badgers have struggled as of late, and I think if Indiana is ever going to do anything, it will be tonight at home. Take the Hoosiers +4.5, but Wisconsin wins 81-79.
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