Wisconsin Badgers vs Byu Cougars Picks and Predictions March 22nd 2025

Battle-Tested BYU Seeks Rare Sweet 16 Spot vs. Wisconsin

No. 6 seed BYU has navigated a gauntlet all season in the Big 12. Now the Cougars look to punch a ticket to their first Sweet 16 in over a decade as they prepare to face third-seeded Wisconsin in a second-round NCAA Tournament matchup Saturday in Denver.

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Cougars Lean on Big 12 Experience

BYU (25-9) is no stranger to high-level competition after finishing third in its first season in the Big 12, one of the nation’s most grueling conferences. That trial by fire paid off in Thursday’s 85-73 win over VCU, where multiple Cougars stepped up in a balanced attack.

Freshman Egor Demin scored 15 points and drew chants of “One more year!” from fans, while leading scorer Richie Saunders added 16. Fousseyni Traore contributed 13 off the bench, and Keba Keita controlled the glass with nine rebounds. BYU out-rebounded VCU 40-31.

Despite the program’s history of early exits, the Cougars are unfazed.

“We’re not going to put anyone on a pedestal,” said guard Trey Stewart. “We played against the best teams all year. We beat Kansas on the road. We’re ready for this.”

The Cougars’ offense revolves around high-volume, high-efficiency 3-point shooting. They rank 11th nationally in made threes per game (10.6) and shoot 37 percent from deep. If BYU heats up, they can put serious pressure on opposing defenses.

Wisconsin’s Size and Efficiency Present a Test

Wisconsin (27-9) will look to slow down the Cougars with size and discipline. The Badgers rank No. 1 in the country in free-throw shooting (82.7 percent) and can punish opponents with methodical, inside-out offense. They defeated James Madison 71-62 in their opener.

The frontcourt duo of Steven Crowl (7-foot) and Nolan Winter (6-foot-11) is difficult to match physically, and leading scorers John Tonje (19.1 ppg) and John Blackwell (15.6 ppg) give Wisconsin a dynamic perimeter presence. Defensively, the Badgers allow just 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Coach Greg Gard sees similarities between BYU and the pace and shooting of Big Ten power Illinois.

“They shoot a lot of threes like Illinois,” Gard said. “But BYU might have more shooters. And their pace reminds me of Michigan State.”

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Perimeter Play Could Decide It

This second-round clash comes down to tempo and perimeter shooting. If BYU finds its rhythm from deep and avoids being overwhelmed by Wisconsin’s size, the Cougars could make their first Sweet 16 run since 2011.

Wisconsin, however, thrives in close games and has the discipline to capitalize on mistakes, especially at the free-throw line.

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