Wisconsin vs. James Madison: Predictions, picks, odds for Friday's March Madness game

Editor's note: Follow all of Friday's men's March Madness scores, highlights, upsets and updates with USA TODAY Sports' live coverage.

Today's action in the South region of the 2024 March Madness men's college basketball tournament continues with the No. 5 seed and No. 24-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (22-13) taking on No. 12 James Madison Dukes (31-3).

Wisconsin's back in the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season. Coach Greg Gard's squad is one of the highest-scoring Badger teams in decades, averaging 75.1 points per game (132nd in the country). Wisconsin knocked off Big Ten regular season champion No. 3-ranked Purdue 76-75 in overtime in the tournament semifinals before falling to No. 10-ranked Illinois 93-87 in the championship game.

Thanks to pre-conference against then-ranked teams Tennessee, Virginia, Marquette, and Arizona, Wisconsin played the toughest schedule in the country, per College Basketball Reference.

Guard AJ Storr leads the way with 16.9 points per game and seven-footer Steven Crowl is a factor on offense, averaging 11.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. The Badgers control the boards, don't turn the ball over, and limit shots, but also allow one of the highest three-point shooting percentages to opponents (37.1%).

James Madison's made it to March Madness for just the sixth time in program history as its highest seed since 1983. The Dukes set a program record with 31 wins this season and won the Sun Belt Conference tournament final 91-71 over Arkansas State. That was their 13th win a row, the longest active streak in the country. James Madison ranks in the top 25 in the country in field goals (30.3, sixth), points (84.4, 10th), and assists (16.4, 24th) per game. They're also 47th in the nation in three-point shooting (36.5%). Guard Terrence Edwards is the top scorer and playmaker, averaging 17.4 points and 3.5 assists per game. Forward T.J. Bickerstaff is a force in the paint with 13.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and shooting 62.2% from the field.

Men's NCAA Tournament 2024:10 bold predictions for March Madness

This is the first time these two teams are facing each other on the basketball court. The winner will take on the winner of the Duke-Vermont game.

Best March Madness upset picks:Our predictions for NCAA tournament first-round stunners

Wisconsin vs. James Madison predictions

Badgers Wire: Wisconsin 78, James Madison 67

Ben Kenney writes: "Yes, James Madison is red-hot, having won 13 straight and 16 of 17. But Wisconsin’s guard of Storr, Hepburn, Klesmit, and Blackwell positions the team well entering the matchup. And the Badgers enter off their most impressive week of the season. Many national analysts are picking the Dukes. I disagree completely and see Wisconsin moving on in blowout fashion."

DraftKings Network: James Madison wins

Nick Simon says: "It’s the classic 12 over 5 upset and I’ll pick JMU to take out the Big Ten Tournament runner-ups in Brooklyn. The Dukes have tons of momentum heading into the Big Dance and enter with the nation’s longest win streak at 13. Meanwhile, the Badgers struggled down the stretch of the regular season and while they did pull it together for the Big Ten Tournament, I still don’t trust them in this situation."

Sporting News: James Madison 81, Wisconsin 78

Kris Johnson writes: "We really like the (Raekwon) Horton vs. Storr matchup in this one. Whether it be speed or size, Storr usually has the edge against competitors, but that won’t be the case when Horton is on the court. When Storr doesn’t erupt against quality teams, the Badgers are pretty vulnerable. We’re leaning into the spirit of March Madness for this contest and calling the James Madison Dukes in an upset over Wisconsin in the first round."

Wisconsin vs. James Madison: Odds, spread and lines for March Madness

The Badgers are favorites to defeat the Dukes in Friday's March Madness matchup according to the BetMGM college basketball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering sports betting promos in 2024.

Odds as of Friday.

• Spread: Wisconsin (-5.5)
• Moneyline: Wisconsin (-250), James Madison (+200)
• Over/under: 145.5

How to watch Wisconsin vs. James Madison: TV, streaming and schedule

When: Friday, March 22 at 9:40 p.m. ET

Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Cable TV: CBS

Streaming:Watch March Madness on any device

How to watch March Madness:Catch all of the Madness with a subscription to fuboTV

How to watch NCAA Men's Basketball March Madness 2024

All games will be broadcast across CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.

• Stream through Paramount+
• Stream through HULU with Live TV
• NCAA March Madness Live app
• Stream through DirecTV Stream

How to watch:Catch March Madness with a Fubo subscription

Printable March Madness bracket

You can find a printable bracket for the men's tournament here.

A women's tournament printable bracket is available here.

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