Michigan in Big Ten Basement Ahead of Visit from No. 11 Wisconsin
Wisconsin vs Michigan bet odds: Badgers Climb to -5.5
The Wisconsin Badgers visit the Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET), hoping to put an end to their two-game losing skid. Meanwhile, Michigan has dropped five straight.
The No. 11 Badgers opened as 4.5-point favorites and are now up to -5.5 on the NCAA basketball line and -235 to win outright. Michigan is +190 on the moneyline. The Over/Under has dropped to 142.5 from its opening total of 145.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both college basketball teams and assess the Wisconsin vs Michigan bet odds.
Badgers vs Wolverines 
Day/Time:
Location: Crisler Center; Ann Arbor, MI.
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
Wisconsin vs Michigan Betting Trends
The Wisconsin Badgers are 10-11-1 ATS, including 2-5 away from home. The Badgers have gone Over the total in 13 of their 22 games. Meanwhile, the Michigan Wolverines are just 6-16 ATS, including 3-8 at home. The Wolverines have fared far better against the Over/Under, producing a record of 14-8.
Be sure to remember these trends when analyzing the Wisconsin vs Michigan bet odds.
Wisconsin Looks the Part
Wisconsin (16-6, 8-3 Big Ten Conference) dropped five spots to No. 11 in the AP NCAAB rankings this week after losing two straight. The Badgers are coming off a 75-69 loss to No. 2 Purdue on Saturday in which they failed to cover as 2-point underdogs.
Despite that, Wisconsin remains in relatively strong shape in terms of seeding for March Madness. It’s projected as a No. 3 seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology update for ESPN. Highlighting the Badgers’ resume is a win over No. 7 Marquette on Dec. 2.
Oddsmakers are bullish on the Badgers, pricing them +800 to make the Final Four and +3500 to win the NCAA championship, one of 16 schools with title odds of 35/1 or better. Notably, no Big Ten team has won the national championship since Michigan State in 2000.
What’s fueled the Badgers? Start with their offense, which ranks in the country in adjusted efficiency. Despite playing at an increasingly slow tempo, the Badgers are averaging 75.5 points while shooting 47.1% from the floor and 34.9% from 3-point range.
They’ve added some much-needed athleticism in St. John’s transfer AJ Storr. The sophomore guard has separated himself as one of the elite playmakers in the Big Ten, averaging a team-high 16.4 points on 43.9% shooting. Storr has scored 28 points twice in the last three games and has six 20-point performances on the NCAA basketball season.
Wisconsin has gone Over the total in six of its last seven games and is 13-9 against the Over/Under, but just 3-6 in road/neutral sites. Keep that in mind when making your Wisconsin vs Michigan bets.
Wolverines Cratering
Michigan is reeling, having lost five straight and 10 of its last 11 games. At 7-15 (2-9), it sits at the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
The Wolverines’ struggles have placed Juwan Howard squarely on the hot seat. The former Fab Five star’s days as head coach are likely numbered.
Michigan isn’t just bad, it’s non-competitive. Its last five losses have all come by double-digits. The Wolverines are 0-5 ATS during that stretch and have covered just once in their last nine NCAAB games at home. Barring a stunning run in the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines will miss the Big Dance for the second straight season under Howard.
The Wolverines’ only win in 2024 came at home against Ohio State, and that performance was out of the norm in more ways than one. They shot 12-of-23 from 3 (52.2%), far exceeding their season rate of 36.9%.
Dug McDaniel is the Wolverines’ top scorer, averaging 16.8 points to go with 4.2 assists. For now, the sophomore guard is only playing home games after being disciplined for academic reasons. Olivier Nkamhoua (15.9) and Terrance Williams II (12.5) are currently the only other Wolverines averaging double figures in scoring.
Michigan’s six wins ATS are tied for the second-fewest in the country. It’s failed to cover in its last five games as an underdog and is just 2-7 for the season, matching its record OU. The Wolverines are also just 3-8 ATS at home.
Handicapping the Game
Wisconsin’s cooled off a bit. It’s dropped two straight and is just 1-5 ATS over its last six games. So what better time than to face Michigan?
McDaniel is eligible to play, but that’s about all that’s working in Michigan’s favor at the moment. The Wolverines are in the Big Ten basement, and there’s no turnaround in sight.
Wisconsin ranks just 301st in opponent’s 3-point percentage, so perhaps Michigan can vie for the upset if it gets hot from deep. But the cards are obviously stacked against the Wolverines, even at home.
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