No. 14 Montana vs No. 3 Wisconsin

Thursday, March 20
10:30 am PT, TNT
East Region, Denver

Wisconsin enters the contest with a record of 26-9 (13-7) having just lost to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship.

The run to the title game was a nice confidence boost after finishing the regular season with mixed results.

One reason for UW’s increased productivity is the return of Max Klesmit, a team leader who makes plays on both sides of the ball. He’s the type of player needed to win games in March.

Complimenting him is the team’s best player, John Tonje, who is averaging 19.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

The Grizzlies don’t have a true rim protector, which makes stopping Tonje difficult.

Flipping the court, Montana is a unique team that only has one player in their rotation above 6-foot-5.

UM’s top five minute-earners and scorers are all guards, which makes for an intriguing matchup.

Money Williams leads the Grizz with 13.3 points per game but Montana features four players who average in double figures.

The Grizzlies are a huge underdog in this matchup because of how they fared against Oregon and Tennessee, getting blown out in both contests.

One aspect working in favor of UM is Denver’s altitude. Missoula sits at just over 3,200 feet while Denver is just above 5,200. By contrast, Madison’s altitude is a mere 873 feet.

Montana’s confusing style might keep the game competitive for a while, but the Grizzles’ 250th adjusted defensive efficiency will hurt them in the end.

Wisconsin wins going away.

(On a side note, Kudos to the tiny town of Box Elder in Montana for winning back-to-back undefeated Class C State High School Basketball Championships.)