The Wisconsin Badgers and BYU Cougars will meet in a huge college basketball matchup on Friday afternoon. This is part of the Bad Boy Mowers Series in Salt Lake City and features a pair of ranked teams from power conferences. Here, I take a closer look at this matchup and make my Wisconsin vs BYU prediction for Friday's game.
Pick: BYU -5.5
Confidence: 3/5
Wisconsin has turned heads early with an explosive offense, putting up over 93 points per game while keeping opponents to 65 points per game on average. Their trio of Nick Boyd, John Blackwell, and Nolan Winter has carried the load against their small-conference competition to open the season.
BYU features one of the most hyped freshmen in the country. A.J. Dybantsa is leading the team with just over 20 points and nearly 7 rebounds per game. Also in BYU’s arsenal are Richie Saunders and Rob Wright III, giving the Cougars a diversified offensive attack. BYU big man Keba Keita is listed as day-to-day, which could affect their rotation and rebounding. But the Cougars are firing on all cylinders coming into this matchup from Utah as they look to rebound from a two-point loss in Boston against UConn.
The fact that this game is being held in Salt Lake City is a significant factor to consider going into this game. The game taking place in Utah makes this another home game for BYU despite the fact that they are not playing in their usual home of Provo. BYU is 2-0 in home games so far this season, while Wisconsin has yet to play a game on the road.
Score Projection: Wisconsin 78 – BYU 86
Win Probability: Wisconsin 34%, BYU 66%
I'm rolling with BYU to win and cover the spread on their home floor on Friday afternoon. The Cougars should have success against a Wisconsin team that has not been tested against a power conference team or on the road this season. Look for the Cougars to win this game by at least six points and to rebound nicely from their loss to UConn on Saturday.
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