The Gamecocks of Jacksonville State are traveling all the way to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on the Badgers on Thursday night. The Badgers are the 23rd-ranked team in the nation and were playing some of their best basketball until their blowout loss against Arizona last weekend. Losing to the No. 1 team in the country is not a big deal, but losing by 25 is embarrassing for a program of Wisconsin’s stature.
The Badgers are 5-5 against the spread this season and had covered two straight before being blown out by Arizona. Until the OVER total points hit in the Arizona games, the last five straight Wisconsin contests had hit the UNDER. Be aware that the Badgers have been 15-plus point favorites in three matchups this season and have not covered in any of them.
As for Jacksonville State, the Gamecocks are 3-6 against the spread this season and have not won any game outright as an underdog. The Gamecocks have also only covered once as an underdog. After winning three straight, the Gamecocks have dropped their last two.
Take a look at the live odds for Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin, each team’s recent betting news, player props and our betting prediction for the game.
Live odds for Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin
Check out the Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin live odds for the spread, moneyline and total points available at the best sportsbook apps.
More: Best College Basketball Betting Sites & Apps 2023 | College Basketball Odds: NCAAB Betting Lines, Spreads and Futures
Jacksonville State Gamecocks betting news
Jacksonville State has had an up-and-down season but is not without talent. While they face an uphill battle against the Badgers, they have the ability to keep the game close for stretches. Wisconsin who one of the slower-paced offenses — if the Gamecocks can hit some shots, they could make this game closer than expected and potentially cover the spread.
Offensively, Jacksonville State struggles, but their defense has been solid at times. They rank 128th on Kenpom for adjusted defensive efficiency, and one telling statistic is that the Gamecocks have the 359th-ranked luck stat. There are only 362 teams playing D1 basketball. The Gamecocks are due for some good luck and will need it against Wisconsin.
Jacksonville State will lean on their star player and leading scorer, KyKY Tandy, who scores 17.4 points per game and is almost automatic when he gets to the free throw line, shooting 94.4%. Outside of Tandy, Quincy Clark will need to have a big game for the Gamecocks to keep it close with the Badgers.
Clark is averaging 10.2 PPG and leads the team with 3.3 assists nightly. He shoots it 46.2% from three, and if he can keep that percentage with higher volume, that could pose a challenge for Wisconsin to defend. Jacksonville State’s size disadvantage will be an issue, though, as they don’t have enough height in their rotation to contend with Wisconsin’s frontcourt.
Wisconsin Badgers betting news
Wisconsin’s 1-2 start was worrying for the Badgers, but they turned it around quickly with a six-game winning streak. During the streak, they defeated the likes of Marquette, Virginia and Michigan State. The wheels fell off last weekend, though, when Arizona dominated the Badgers.
While this year’s Wisconsin team may not be a National Championship-caliber team like Arizona, the Wildcats are not 25 points better than the Badgers. Wisconsin needs to get their momentum back in a hurry with two games before they jump back into conference play, where they should stand a good chance to compete for a Big Ten Championship.
Wisconsin will need their stars to continue to play well to contend with Purdue at the top of the conference. While no one Badger dominates the scoring column, Wisconsin has a well-balanced attack that makes it difficult to defend when they are at their best.
AJ Storr is the leading scorer with 13.8 PPG, while Steven Crowl (12.1 PPG) and Tyler Wahl (10.3 PPG) also average double figures. John Blackwell (9.9 PPG) and Chucky Hepburn (9.8 PPG) are just a little behind, and one good game could get both of them into double-figure averages.
Wisconsin’ is 12th on Kenpom for adjusted offensive efficiency, and their defenseranks 29th on Kenpom for adjusted offensive efficiency. They have one of the most deliberate play styles in the country, ranking 335th for adjusted tempo.
Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin game props at FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel is one of the more consistent books providing props for college basketball games. They have several intriguing player props for Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin tonight.
Steven Crowl prop bets
- 12.5 points OVER (+102) / UNDER (-130)
- 6.5 rebounds OVER (-125) / UNDER (-104)
Chucky Hepburn prop bets
- 9.5 points OVER (-122) / UNDER (-104)
- 3.5 assists OVER (-130) / UNDER (+100)
AJ Storr prop bets
- 13.5 points OVER (-113) / UNDER (-113)
Tyler Wahl prop bets
- 10.5 points OVER (+100) / UNDER (-128)
- 5.5 rebounds OVER (-130) / UNDER (+100)
John Blackwell prop bets
- 10.5 points OVER (+104) / UNDER (-132)
Jacksonville State vs. Wisconsin prediction: Badgers get back on track with a win, but don’t cover!
The Badgers have not covered the spread in any of their three chances as 15-plus-point favorites. It is hard for the Badgers to blow teams out by that much with their slow pace.
While Jacksonville State will not be able to contend with the Badgers enough to pull off an upset, they should be able to keep it close enough to cover the spread.
Pick: Jacksonville State
