It will be a Big Sky vs Big Ten matchup in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament as the Montana Grizzlies face the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday, March 20, 2025. This East Region matchup features a player who has the potential to be one of the stars of this tournament against a team that has had a great run at the top of its conference in recent years.
Over at DraftKings Sportsbook, Wisconsin enters this game as a 17.5-point favorite. They have set the total for this first-round matchup at 148.5 points. Continue reading to get our perspective on Montana vs Wisconsin and to get our best bet for what should be an entertaining game between a 14-seed and a 3-seed.
Can Montana Go From Big Sky to Big Upset?
This season, the Montana Grizzlies went 25-9 and won the Big Sky conference championship. The Grizzlies defeated Northern Colorado in the championship game in their league, earning their 14th win in their last 15 games to grab a spot in the NCAA Tournament. In this contest, the question will be whether Montana’s defense can hold up well enough to move them into the next round of tournament play.
Montana’s defense ranks 250th in Division I men’s college basketball in Kenpom’s defensive efficiency ratings. Their rebounding is especially concerning, as they average just 31.7 boards per game as a team. If they can’t hold their own on the glass in this game, their time in this tournament could be short-lived.
Wisconsin Looks to Build On Big Ten Tourney Run
Wisconsin made it to the championship game of the Big Ten tournament, losing in that title game to the Michigan Wolverines. The Badgers were the fifth seed in that tournament but made it through the top-seeded Michigan State Spartans in the semifinals to play for the conference title. Wisconsin will look to start another run deep into the NCAA Tournament in this first-round matchup, in which they are a heavy favorite.
Entering this tournament, the Badgers have a player who has the opportunity to be the breakout star of this tournament in John Tonje. Tonje scored 32 points against Michigan State in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and 26 points against UCLA in the quarterfinals. If Wisconsin can get him good looks on a consistent basis in this opening round matchup, the Badgers should have no problem cruising into round two.
Montana vs Wisconsin Prediction
Over 148.5 (-110)
220K Gold Coins & 10 FREE Sweeps Coins
Claim Bonus - Montana’s defense is rated very poorly and should struggle against a potent Wisconsin offense here.
- The Grizzlies can do some scoring of their own, though, which should help us reach the total in this contest.
