Score Prediction For BYU’s NCAA Matchup Against Wisconsin
Mar 21, 2025, 8:58 PM | Updated: 8:59 pm
DENVER – BYU basketball is looking to keep its NCAA Tournament run going as they take on the No. 3 seed Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night.
The Cougars had a strong performance in the first-round win over VCU.
BYU comes into the matchup with the Badgers playing with confidence. They have the one win in the NCAA Tournament behind them. Now they are loose as an underdog against Wisconsin.
BYU vs. Wisconsin
Second Round – 2025 NCAA Tournament
Location: Denver, Colorado
Arena: Ball Arena
Tip-Off: 5:45 p.m. (MDT)
TV: CBS
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM in Utah) — Extended pregame begins at Noon
BYU basketball and Wisconsin have high-powered offenses
The BYU-Wisconsin matchup is an entertaining one in the Round of 32. It’s no surprise that CBS picked up the game in primetime. There’s the potential for a high-scoring game similar to BYU’s game against Arizona in Tucson.
That win resulted in a final score of 96-95 in regulation in favor of the Cougars.
Cougar Sports Saturday is going to be a must-listen from here in Denver.
Listen to my conversation with BYU basketball coach Kevin Young as the Cougars prepare to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in the NCAA Tournament.
⏰: Noon-3 p.m. (MDT)
📻: @kslnewsradio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)… pic.twitter.com/7bk3Ph8QYR— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 21, 2025
Predicting a game in the high 90s is a stretch in the NCAA Tournament. However, these two teams are capable.
“They’re really organized on offense. I think they are one of the most [organized] I’ve seen on tape,” BYU basketball head coach Kevin Young said of Wisconsin to KSL Sports. “We try to be organized. But we’re different. They’re a lot more continuity-based than we are. We both like to play five out, space, and obviously shoot the ball from outside. There’s some similarities. But it could be a high-paced game from that standpoint.”
Battle-tested teams
From a resume standpoint, both teams navigated seasons where they put together four victories over Top 25 NET opponents.
Both are battle-tested after navigating two of the toughest conferences in the country.
They each finished in fourth place in both of their power league standings.
Trending up on defense
Defensively, this matchup will be an interesting area to watch. Both teams are trending up on the defensive end of the floor.
BYU is No. 68 in KenPom’s efficiency ratings on defense. Meanwhile, Wisconsin has climbed to No. 24.
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has been quoted as saying the Badgers defense has its “bit back.”
“I think the bite means are we alert,” Gard told reporters on Friday. “I actually have added bark to it, bark and bite, meaning we’re loud, we talk, we communicate. Just how physical we are with ball screens, how physical we are with following our rules within the defensive system and concepts that we have, how physical we are on the glass, defensive rebounding, how good we are in transition defensively. All the things that we always try to do.”
BYU will need to match that intensity when they are on defense. The good news for BYU is that they have one game under their belt in this tournament where the defense shined.
BYU took down VCU in a game where they only hit seven 3-pointers. They showed that they are more than willing to play a physical game that doesn’t have the roadmap, including a high-powered offensive game.
The talent level goes up significantly in the second round. Wisconsin is led by AP Second-Team All-American guard John Tonje, who is averaging 19 points per game.
Junior center Keba Keita has been a tone-setter for BYU’s physicality on defense. He and reserve center Fousseyni Traore will have a unique challenge taking on a Wisconsin team that has a pair of big men who can knock down threes in 7-footer Steven Crowl and 6-foot-11 Nolan Winter.
“It’s definitely a challenge,” Traore told KSL Sports. “…You just have to be mentally ready, you know? Of course, it’s going to be a little bit different. … I just think we have to stay locked in.”
BYU basketball players to watch
An ‘X factor’ in this matchup is point guard Egor Demin. Demin was spectacular in the first half of BYU’s win over VCU, knocking down three 3s, and dazzling with his ball handling.
Wisconsin is 332nd nationally in turnover percentage. So that means, it might be a game where he doesn’t face the pressure that he’s experienced in recent games against VCU, Houston, and Iowa State.
If Demin goes off for another big performance, BYU could find themselves advancing to the Sweet 16.
BYU junior Richie Saunders on his increased spotlight as a First Team All-Big 12 player. 🏀
"I'm super grateful for the love and for Cougar Nation as a whole. It's awesome. I don't want to be anywhere else." 🤙 pic.twitter.com/b9hBu4uG7a
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 21, 2025
Richie Saunders will be another player to watch. The first-team All-Big 12 performer finished with 16 points against VCU, but he was only 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. It feels like an outlier performance for a player who has been one of the most efficient in the Big 12 this season.
I’ll call for Saunders to reach 20+ points and Egor Demin to put together another strong performance to lead BYU to an upset victory, with Cougar greats Jimmer Fredette and Danny Ainge, the last two men to lead BYU to the Sweet 16 in attendance to watch it all unfold.
Prediction: BYU 86, Wisconsin 83
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
