The Western Michigan Broncos will hit the road to take on the #15 Wisconsin Badgers tonight in Madison, Wisconsin.
Western Michigan hasn't gotten off to the start they imagined, especially on the road. They've gone 1-5 on the road to begin the season. They are led by Lamar Norman Jr., who is averaging 18.3 points per game.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin has gotten off to a fantastic start this season. Their only losses on the year were by one point in overtime against Kansas, and by three to Wake Forest. Otherwise, they've handled business on the court.
For both schools, this will mark their final out-of-conference test. Let's see how they measure up ahead of tonight's matchup.
Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin Match Details
Fixture: Western Michigan Broncos @ Wisconsin Badgers
Date and Time: Friday, December 30, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Kohl Center
Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin Key Stats
Wisconsin is winning games on the strength of one of the nation's top defenses. They are holding opponents to 60.8 points per game, the 29th-best number in the NCAA this season. They've held opposing teams to 28.8% shooting on three-pointers, 35th nationwide. The Badgers average 8.0 steals per game, 80th in the nation.
Wisconsin is also one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation, knocking down 37.4% of their attempts, which is the 57th-highest mark in the country. The Western Michigan defense allows opponents to hit triples at a high rate. Their three-point percentage against is 34.7%, which is 265th in the nation.
Western Michigan has been among the best rebound teams in college basketball this season, grabbing 39.4 per game which ranks 46th. Wisconsin is among the worst rebounding teams, only pulling down 33.8 per game.
Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin Betting Prediction
The Badgers haven't played a game in over two weeks and may have to shake off some rust early. They're unquestionably the better team, and their defense should be stifling, but knocking down shots may take some time. They will win, but not by more than 20 points.