The No.1-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (28-3) take on No.2-seeded Arizona Wildcats (31-3) at the Staples Center for an opportunity to advance to the Final Four. The game gets underway at 6:09 pm ET on Saturday and will air on TBS.
The Badgers were victorious over North Carolina 79-72 in the Sweet 16. Nigel Hayes had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist for Wisconsin. The Wildcats, meanwhile, are coming off a 68-60 win over Xavier in the Sweet 16. Brandon Ashley shot 6-for-8 and led in scoring with 20 points.
From an eFG% perspective, this will be a balanced matchup. Wisconsin’s elite offense ranks 29th in the nation in that metric at 54.3%, while Arizona is 20th-best in the nation at forcing opponents’ misses (44.3%). Furthermore, getting to the line could play a crucial role for the Wildcats. They rank 10th in the nation in FTA rate (47.1). However, the Badgers are among the best in the nation at keeping opponents off the charity stripe (ranking first at 22.0).
Wisconsin is a small one-point underdog in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 133 points. The Badgers are attempting to build on their records of 34-3 Straight Up (SU) and 19-17-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Wisconsin has been steady from the free throw line, shooting a superb .754. Few teams in the nation have a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than Wisconsin, which ranks third at 1.63. Turning to the defensive end, the Badgers have limited opponents’ efforts from beyond the arc, allowing 4.9 three-pointers made per game.
Across the court, Arizona has a SU record of 34-3 and an ATS record of 23-14. Arizona has done particularly well ATS over its past 10 matchups, going 8-2. Arizona is one of the better rebounding teams in Division I. The Wildcats average 37.2 rebounds per game, making them the 46th-best team in the country for that category. The Wildcats rarely make the wrong play with the ball. They have the 44th-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country at 1.27.
This is the first meeting of the season for Wisconsin and Arizona. The last time they played Wisconsin came out on top, moving its SU record against the Wildcats to 2-1. The Wildcats hold the advantage ATS with a record of 2-1.
Predictions: SU Winner – Arizona, ATS Winner – Arizona, O/U – Over
Notes
The Wisconsin Badgers have the fourth-best offensive rating in the nation (119.6). The Arizona Wildcats have a top-tier defense with a defensive rating of 141.9 (ranked seventh).
The Arizona Wildcats average 67.1 possessions per game and 1.140 points per possession. The Wisconsin Badgers earn fewer possessions with 59.9, but they score more points with 1.196.
The Arizona Wildcats average an effective field goal percentage of 53.6% this season. The Wisconsin Badgers have a solid 5-2 record in games where opponents have an eFG% of 53.6% or greater.
The Wisconsin Badgers average 19.2 three point attempts per game, while the Arizona Wildcats attempt 14.1. When attempting 20 or more three pointers in a game, Wisconsin is 13-3 while Arizona is undefeated (1-0).
The third-ranked team in the category, Wisconsin has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.63 this season. Arizona ranks 44th with an A/TO of 1.27.
Wisconsin ranks 269th in offensive rebounds, while Arizona ranks 16th in defensive rebounds.
