High Point Panthers vs Wisconsin Badgers – College Basketball Preview – Mar 19, 2026
The High Point Panthers, a 12 seed, take on the 5 seed Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. This game is part of the West Region and will be held at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Fans can catch the action on TBS on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 1:50 PM ET.
High Point enters the tournament with a strong regular season record of 30-4, including an 18-1 conference record in the Big South. Last year, they faced Purdue in the first round and lost 63-75. Wisconsin, ranked 19th in the AP poll, has a 24-10 record and a 16-7 mark in the Big Ten. In the 2025 postseason, they won their first-round game against Montana 85-66 before falling to BYU 89-91 in the second round.
High Point Panthers Team Preview
The High Point Panthers had a strong end to their regular season. They won their last three games, beating Winthrop, UNC Asheville, and Gardner-Webb. In their win against Winthrop, the Panthers scored 91 points and shot 45.8% from the field.
Cam’Ron Fletcher stood out in the game against Winthrop with 17 points and 19 rebounds. Terry Anderson also made an impact throughout the last three games. He scored 25 points against UNC Asheville and grabbed 14 rebounds against Gardner-Webb.
This season, the Panthers averaged 90 points per game, ranking them 5th in the nation. Their field goal percentage was 49.1%, placing them 21st. They also made 19.9 free throws per game, ranking 6th in that category.
Wisconsin Badgers Team Preview
The Wisconsin Badgers have had a strong season. They hold an overall record of 24-10 and a conference record of 16-7. Their AP rank is #19, showing they are one of the top teams in the Big Ten conference.
Recently, the Badgers faced the Michigan Wolverines and lost 68-65. In that game, Austin Rapp scored 18 points, and Nick Boyd added 14 points. Despite the loss, the Badgers have shown they can compete well in close games.
On the season, the Badgers score an average of 83 points per game. They are ranked 12th for three-pointers made per game, averaging 11.8. Their field goal percentage is 45%, and they make 15.5 free throws per game, which is 34th best in the nation.
Betting Prediction
Wisconsin has a strong offense with 83.0 points per game, which ranks 41st. They also shoot well from three-point range, with 11.8 made per game. High Point scores 90.0 points per game, ranking 5th, but they have a weaker defense.
High Point plays at a faster pace with 69.4 possessions per game. This could lead to more scoring opportunities for both teams. Wisconsin’s slower pace of 67.8 possessions means they might control the game better, but High Point’s speed could push the total higher.
Both teams have good offensive stats, but they allow many points. High Point’s defense allows many steals and fouls, making it likely for Wisconsin to score. The over/under trends suggest a higher-scoring game, so betting on the over seems wise.
- Pick: Over 164.5
