Historic Wisconsin Badgers
One of the more underrated teams in March Madness that could go on a deep run is the Wisconsin Badgers. For starters, they have a historic program, having made it to the big dance 29 times, including four Final Fours. In addition, they have won one national championship back in 1941.
Back in 2014-2015, they made it to the National Championship, where they were led by superstar Frank Kaminsky. Kaminsky was one of the best players in the country and a future NBA player. Their current team has the potential to make a deep run and get back to the National Championship. Although that is unlikely, it is called March Madness for a reason.
Battle Tested
The Badgers faced some very difficult competition this past season in a loaded Big Ten Conference. In conference play, they went 14-6. Even though they were losses, they had some tough competition against the BYU Cougars and their freshman phenom AJ Dybantsa, as well as the TCU Horned Frogs.
On the other hand, they have some signature wins over top teams, including, at the time, the #1-ranked Michigan Wolverines (unranked at the time), the Ohio State Buckeyes, the #8-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini, and the #10-ranked Michigan State Spartans and the Purdue Boilermakers. In the Big Ten Tournament, they beat Illinois in overtime and then lost to Michigan in a close game.
The tough schedule and success against some of the best teams in the country give them a competitive edge. Due to their schedule, they could compete against a lot of these teams. Also, it makes them ready and battle-tested for the tournament. Wisconsin is one of nine teams in the Big Ten to make the tournament, which is tied for a conference record.
Strong Veteran Presence
Another important reason, besides surviving their tough schedule with impressive Quad 1 wins, is the veteran experience across their team. The Badgers are led by fifth-year senior guard Nick Boyd, who is averaging 20.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
His counterpart is junior guard John Blackwell,l who is averaging 19 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Controlling the paint is 7’0 junior Nolan Winter, who is averaging 13.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Wisconsin has a difficult path in the tournament, as their first game is against the #12 seed High Point Panthers, who are a top-10 offensive team in the country. If they survive the Panthers, they could run into one of the best and most historic coaches of all time, John Calipari, and his Arkansas Razorbacks.
If they could survive and advance those two teams, they could see the #1 seed and arguably the best team in the country, the Arizona Wildcats, in the Sweet 16. However, the Badgers have the history, impressive resume, and roster to go on a deep run in this tournament.
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