Wisconsin-High Point odds dropped early, then rose after injury update
Wisconsin's No. 5 seed may have affected early wagering, but Nolan Winter's latest injury update has more money coming in on the Badgers.
There's more than a few reasons why the University of Wisconsin's men's basketball team is comfortably favored In their first-round NCAA Tournament matchup with High Point Thursday, March 19. But there is also a famous March Madness trend that appeared to make the original spread uncomfortable. The Badgers are still a strong 10- or 10.
5-point favorite against a rare 30-win mid-major in part because of their schedule. UW has five victories against teams in the NET rankings (Illinois twice, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue). Eight of their nine quad 1 wins are within the top 30.
The Badgers also have a pair of losses outside the top 75 (USC 79, Oregon 109). Meanwhile, High Point has yet to play a quad 1 game. More: Wisconsin basketball vs High Point prediction: Our pick for 2026 NCAA bracket first round However, the Panthers feature one of the highest-scoring offenses in the country.
They average over 90 points a game and haven't lost since mid-January, entering the matchup on a 14-game winning streak. Fans (and bettors) are also well-aware that the Badgers are on the dreaded No. 5 line for favorites.