March Madness: What Wisconsin teams are likely to make the big dance?
(WFRV) – The 2024 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament is soon approaching and a number of Wisconsin schools are looking for an invite to the big dance.
Which Wisconsin schools are expected to make it, which ones will be praying to hear their names get called, and which ones start fighting for their postseason lives as soon as Thursday, March 7, a mere ten days away from Selection Sunday?
MEN’S TEAM:
The team that is the safest bet and considered a lock to make the tournament is the currently #8 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles. Led by Junior guard Kam Jones and Senior guard Tyler Kolek, the Golden Eagles find themselves sitting in a tie for second place in the Big East with a conference record of 13-6 and an overall record of 22-8.
In ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology, Marquette is projected to be a 2 seed in the tournament and is likely guaranteed to make it even if they don’t win a conference tournament game given their 2024 resume that features big wins over teams like Kansas, Texas, and the current #3 ranked Purdue.
The Golden Eagles, now on a 2-game losing streak, will look to end the regular season with a win when they take on the Xavier Musketeers on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Big East conference tournament play will start on March 13.
WOMEN’S TEAM:
As for the women’s team, Marquette is currently projected to be one the last teams with a bye according to ESPN’s Charlie Creme’s Bracketology. The Golden Eagles are fresh off a 74-52 win over Butler and sit at an overall record of 22-7.
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They finished the regular season 5th in the Big East with a conference record of 11-7 and they will take on Villanova on March 9 at 2:30 p.m. in the Big East Quarterfinals.
MEN’S TEAM:
The next team to likely go dancing is the Wisconsin Badgers who, at one point, were ranked as high as #6 in the country. The Badgers currently sit in 5th place within the Big Ten with a conference record of 10-8 and an overall record of 18-11.
Wisconsin, led by Sophmore AJ Storr and Senior Tyler Wahl, has seen a rollercoaster of a year that started off with the team being unranked before scoring a big win over instate-rival Marquette to earn their first rank of the season on the AP Poll.
A stretch of games that saw the Badgers win 9 out of 10 got them ranked in the top ten at #6 before their current 2-7 stretch would leave them unranked yet again.
Wisconsin is currently a 6 seed in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology and will likely need either strong performances against Rutgers and Purdue to end the regular season or a deep run in the Big Ten tournament to avoid finding themselves on the bubble.
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WOMEN’S TEAM:
Speaking of the bubble, that’s exactly where the Badgers women’s team hopes a deep Big Ten tournament run could get them as their overall 13-15 record currently has them projected to miss the tournament.
Wisconsin, the Big Ten’s 10 seed, takes on the 7-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions at 5:30 p.m on March 7 in the second round of the Bif Ten tournament.
MEN’S TEAMS:
For two other Wisconsin schools, their bids to make the March Madness tournament start March 7, as the Green Bay Phoenix host the Milwaukee Panthers in the quarterfinals of the Horizon League tournament.
With both teams being mid-major, both likely need a conference tournament win to get into the NCAA Division I tournament. That makes Thursday’s game a life-or-death situation as whoever loses the game will likely be left uninvited from the big dance.
The Panthers, fresh off a tournament win against the Detroit Mercy, will come to Green Bay as the 6 seed in the Horizon League. Green Bay, after being ranked 362nd out of 363 teams in 2023, will enter Thursday’s game as the 3 seed in the Horizon League.
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The I-43 rivals have already faced each other twice this season with the Phoenix winning the first matchup 70-58 and the Panthers winning the latest matchup just five days ago 90-69.
The game between Green Bay and Milwaukee is set to tip off tonight at 8:00 p.m. inside the Kress Center with the winner keeping their big dance dreams alive and advancing to the Horizon League Semifinals.
WOMEN’S TEAMS:
The women for both schools will also be looking to keep their tournament dreams tonight as well.
The Phoenix women’s team currently finds itself as the projected last team in following a 65-61 loss to Milwaukee. Green Bay finished the regular season 2nd in the Horizon League with a 17-3 conference record and a 24-6 overall record.
Winning the Horizon League tournament would confirm their invitation to the big dance, but even just a win or two could be just enough to get in. The 2nd-seeded Phoenix will host the 7th-seeded Youngstown State Penguins at the Kress Center on Thursday, March 7, with a tipoff time of 5:30 p.m.
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For Milwaukee, their women’s team finished the year 16-15 and the 5th seed in the Horizon League. The Panthers will likely need to win the conference tournament to make the March Madness tournament.
5th seeded Milwaukee will begin their attempt at a conference championship when they take on 4th-seeded Wright State on March 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Selection Sunday for the March Madness Tournament is scheduled for Sunday, March 17 and the first round of tournament play will begin on Thursday, March 21.
