The Villanova Wildcats take on the Wisconsin Badgers in Milwaukee, WI. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
Wisconsin is favored by -4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -200. The total is set at 150.5 points.
Here’s my Villanova vs. Wisconsin prediction and college basketball picks for December 19, 2025.
Villanova vs Wisconsin Prediction
My Pick: Wisconsin -4.5
My Villanova vs Wisconsin best bet is on the Badgers to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Villanova vs. Wisconsin Odds
| Villanova Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -105 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | +165 |
| Wisconsin Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -115 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | -200 |
- Villanova vs Wisconsin spread: Wisconsin -4.5
- Villanova vs Wisconsin over/under: 150.5 points
- Villanova vs Wisconsin moneyline: Villanova +165, Wisconsin -200
Villanova vs Wisconsin College Basketball Betting Preview
For a December non-conference game, this tilt between the Badgers and Wildcats looks like it will be incredibly important in a few months.
Both of these teams have dreams of securing an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but neither has really done enough in the early portion of the schedule to put themselves in a great position come bubble time.
It may seem crazy to talk Bracketology a week before Christmas, but these are the first and fourth teams outside the bubble right now, according to Bracket Matrix.
A game on a neutral court between two likely bubble teams is huge for postseason chances, as well as setting up each of these teams as conference play gets rolling.
It might not be the kind of signature win that would lead either team to put up a big fancy neon sign on its arena, yet it would be the best win either has collected so far this season.
Villanova Basketball
Villanova has played 10 games thus far. Eight of those games came against teams ranked outside KenPom's top 100 teams — all wins. The other two came against top-10 teams, both losses.
That oversimplifies the Wildcats' season, but it's certainly what the selection committee will see in March. Villanova gave BYU a game on opening night, losing by just five, but got blasted at Michigan, trailing by 30 at the half.
All eight Wildcat wins have come by double-figures, including a rout over a Pitt team that's not spectacular but has a win over bubbly Ohio State.
The next month will be incredibly important and indicative for a Villanova team with just one rotation player back from last season. Despite never playing together, this team has gelled into a top-30 offensive unit through the first month and a half of play.
The ceiling of this team will be defined by Acaden Lewis, a freshman point guard. He's averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 assists per game while leading Villanova in usage rate.
For the most part, he's been very sharp. Villanova's relatively test-free schedule has likely been very beneficial to his development.
As a non-shooter, however, Lewis will start to see more challenging defensive game plans, often built around stopping his creation ability.
Villanova will succeed based on its response to those changes.
Wisconsin Basketball
The Badgers are among the 18 men's college basketball teams taking more than half of their shots from outside the arc. That makes Wisconsin very high variance offensively.
When they make a bunch of 3s, the Badgers can hang 100 points on Providence and nearly do so again against Marquette, making 14 3s against each of those opponents. When the shooters go cold, the offense sputters.
Add in a defense that hasn't proven ready for road trips, and Wisconsin is capable of laying eggs on the schedule. BYU pounded Wisconsin in Salt Lake City and Nebraska's offense tortured the Badgers' defense, leading to a 30-point Huskers win.
When Wisconsin looks sharp, the Badgers are super fun. The backcourt combo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell is among the nation's best guard pairings.
Blackwell is a third-year player, homegrown in Madison, who's improved year after year. Boyd was a freshman contributor on Florida Atlantic's Final Four team way back when. After a stop at San Diego State, he's posting 20 points per game for Wisconsin.
They're the only teammates in the nation who each are averaging more than 19.5 points per outing.
Greg Gard pairs that tandem with a frontline that has two near 7-footers and a deep group of veteran role players.
So far, the results have been trick or treat, but Wisconsin's best game can result in it hanging with the top teams in the Big Ten. Gard just needs to find ways to make sure his team is reaching that ceiling.
Villanova vs. Wisconsin Betting Analysis
This is a classic bounce-back opportunity for the Badgers.
Wisconsin got smoked by Nebraska in Lincoln nine full days ago, including some dismal shooting by the Badgers.
This game gives Gard and his crew a chance to shake the Etch-A-Sketch and reset themselves before Big Ten play resumes in January.
My Pick: Wisconsin -4.5
