The High Point Panthers play the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Tip-off is set for 1:50 p.m. ET on TBS.
Wisconsin is favored by 10.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -500. Meanwhile, High Point is the underdog at +10.5 with a moneyline of +380. The total is set at 163.5 points.
Here’s my High Point vs. Wisconsin predictions and college basketball picks for March 19, 2026.
High Point vs Wisconsin Prediction
My Pick: Wisconsin Team Total Over 87.5
My High Point vs Wisconsin best bet is on the Badgers to go over their team total. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
High Point vs Wisconsin Odds
| High Point Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10.5 -118 | 163.5 -112o / -108u | +380 |
| Wisconsin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10.5 -102 | 163.5 -112o / -108u | -500 |
- High Point vs Wisconsin spread: Wisconsin -10.5
- High Point vs Wisconsin over/under: 163.5 points
- High Point vs Wisconsin moneyline: High Point +380, Wisconsin -500
High Point vs Wisconsin College Basketball Betting Preview
High Point Basketball
High Point has been excellent all season and enters this NCAA Tournament on a 14-game win streak, the longest active streak in the country.
Head coach Flynn Clayman has done an excellent job in his first season at the helm, as High Point blew through the Big South regular season with a 15-1 record. High Point won the Big South Tournament Championship game by 15 points over Winthrop and is going to bring an exciting, fast-paced style of play to Portland, Oregon.
The offense is averaging an eye-popping 90 points per game while boasting a versatile scoring attack. Terry Anderson averages 16 points and six rebounds per game for the Panthers, while Rob Martin averages 15.3 points per contest.
Martin also leads the team in assists this season (121) while splitting point duties with Conrad Martinez. Cam’Ron Fletcher scores 12.6 points to round out the double-figure scorers.
High Point is very efficient, and the offense is one of the best in the entire country at taking care of the basketball. Five different players have made at least 39 triples, and High Point isn't afraid to let it fly from deep once it crosses half-court.
While not battle-tested against power level competition, I don't expect the Panthers to be intimidated on this end of the floor.
Despite seeing a ton of possessions against it, this defense is efficient, per Big South standards. High Point led the conference in overall defensive efficiency, blocked and altered shots and turnovers forced.
The Panthers press regularly and play a high-pressure system that was able to overwhelm their opponents during Big South play. But they've been susceptible to giving up high point totals against opponents who can handle the pressure.
Wisconsin Basketball
Wisconsin has been a puzzling team this season. It has top end talent to compete with anybody in the country and holds wins over Michigan, Illinois, Purdue and Michigan State. But on the other hand, the Badgers can, at times, get in an offensive funk where it can't sink shots or accrue stops on the defensive side.
This has caused eight of their 10 losses to be by double digits this season.
Greg Gard has an elite scoring offense and a serviceable defense, and it feels like Wisconsin should be more highly regarded in this NCAA Tournament than it is.
The offense is led in scoring by Nick Boyd, who averages 20.6 points per game and leads the team with 143 assists this season. Boyd is such a threat with the ball in his hands, and he can shoot, get to the rim and draw fouls. John Blackwell averages 19 points and five rebounds per game, and Nolan Winter averages 13.3, although he's missed the last four games with an ankle injury.
The Badgers are one of the best teams in the country at not turning the ball over, and this group is playing faster than Gard has ever had his offense play before.
This game is going to have a ton of possessions, and the points should be pouring in for Wisconsin.
The defense has been serviceable but not great. Wisconsin isn't going to force a ton of turnovers against anyone it plays, but it does rebound the ball well and keep its opponents off the stripe.
Gard is confident that Winter will be able to go in the NCAA Tournament, which would be a huge boost defensively for Wisconsin.
High Point vs Wisconsin Pick, Betting Analysis
This line has sharply been bet down from Wisconsin -12, now pegging the Badgers as 10-point favorites with a total set at 164.5. I'm going to take Wisconsin’s team total over 87.5.
Wisconsin scored 80 or more points in 10 of its first 11 games of the season while playing teams outside of the KenPom top-50.
The Badgers have the most efficient and talented offense that High Point has seen all season, and this Badgers offense doesn't turn the ball over. High Point is going to gamble defensively, which will lead to run-outs. I would suspect Wisconsin is able to get to the rim and the foul line a lot in this matchup.
The Badgers have been hot shooting the ball from deep. This group made 16 triples against Michigan and 41 overall during its Big Ten Tournament run, which concluded in the semifinals. Austin Rapp has been shooting the ball well since logging more minutes at the 4-spot and Boyd has scored 23 or more in four of his last five games.
Both High Point and Wisconsin are comfortable in high-possession games, so I don't see one team trying to throttle down the pace in this one.
I anticipate that High Point will score some points here, keeping the pressure on the Badgers, and this game should look and feel similarly to recent Wisconsin bouts against Purdue, Washington and Illinois.
High Point has a deep bench, and it play a lot of guys, but the drop off between Anderson, Martin and Fletcher compared to the second platoon is huge.
I would anticipate High Point having to rely less on the bench, and I wouldn't be surprised to see fatigue set in late in the second half for High Point, which will be at a significant disadvantage with size and physicality in the post.
Wisconsin should win this game and move on. It has the offensive talent to score 90 points against teams like Michigan, Purdue and Illinois. I think the Badgers score 90 points here, so I'm going over on the Wisconsin team total here in this opening-round game.
My Pick: Wisconsin Team Total Over 87.5
