Following their 85-66 first-round win over Montana, No. 3 seed Wisconsin will take on No. 6 seed BYU in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. BYU easily dispatched the region’s No. 11 seed VCU and had as much as a 20-point lead in their 80-71 win.
The Badgers let Montana hang around during the first half but pulled away early in the second when the Grizzlies could not keep up with their offense. John Blackwell led the team in scoring with 19 points.
Wisconsin is facing an opponent with a similar style as the Grizzlies, but BYU has much more talent and experience playing in the Big 12. BYU is elite on the offensive end behind a deep roster, with eight players averaging at least seven points per game.
One of the most efficient teams in the nation, BYU is 23rd in field goal percentage, 36th in 3-point percentage and 10th in assists per game. The Badgers will have to be at their best defensively to limit the production of the Cougars’ great offense and will need to focus on keeping Richie Saunders from getting hot.
Saunders is their most productive scorer, putting up 16 points per game. Egor Demin is the only other player who scores in double figures, and unlike Saunders, he is inefficient. Saunders is a deadeye shooter and sits at 43.3% from 3-point range. He is not afraid to let it fly, attempting 5.5 3s per game, proving that his efficiency has not been affected by his high shot volume.
Their second leading point-getter, Demin, is not as highly regarded for his scoring ability. As the Cougars’ point guard, he has been excellent at setting up scoring opportunities for his teammates. At 5.4 assists per game, he is inside the top 40 in that category and has thrived playing alongside teammates who consistently make 3s.
While his NBA draft hype has died down a bit, Demin is still projected as a first round pick in the upcoming draft. The Moscow native burst out onto the national scene during his freshman campaign and could be a scary matchup for the Badgers if he shoots like he did against VCU.
Keba Keita is another key player for the Cougars, and while he is not known for his offense, his defensive impact is important for a team that sometimes struggles on that end. Keita leads the team in rebounds and blocks per game and possesses much-needed size for a team that lacks height.
Even then, Keita is only 6-foot-7, and the Badgers will have their usual size advantage with Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter. Both were important against Montana and will need to show up for Wisconsin to have a good game.
Wisconsin’s depth, which has been one of their strengths all season, stepped up in an even bigger way during their first-round matchup. Xavier Amos put up 11 points off the bench in only 13 minutes, and Carter Gilmore added eight points. Both were excellent on the defensive end, and it would be massive for Wisconsin’s Sweet Sixteen hopes if they get similar production from the two alongside Kamari McGee, who struggled with his shot against Montana.
The Badgers also hope to get more out of John Tonje, who only went 2-of-5 from the floor in their matchup against Montana. He went 9-of-9 from the free-throw line, but it is important to let him establish a shooting rhythm from all over the court for the Badgers to be at their best.
BYU is a much better opponent than Montana and Wisconsin is in for a battle after an easy matchup with an opponent from a mid-major conference. If their 3s fall as they have most of the season, it will be much easier to keep up with the Cougars.
This matchup has the potential to become a track meet, as both teams’ success has been predicated on their offense. But Wisconsin has the defensive advantage, and if they get enough stops, they should be able to put up enough points to come away with the victory.
If the Badgers win they will reach their first Sweet Sixteen in eight years. The winner will face one of Saint Mary’s, Vanderbilt, Robert Morris or Alabama in Newark, New Jersey, for the Sweet Sixteen next week.
