Wisconsin vs. Michigan Predictions, Picks & Odds, 3/16: Big Ten Championship

The Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan Wolverines are set to clash for the Big Ten Tournament championship, creating an exciting matchup between the two teams.
Both squads are riding high into Sunday’s final, eager to claim a conference title before the start of March Madness. Let’s analyze the matchup and share our Wisconsin vs. Michigan picks.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan Predictions Today: Sunday, 3/16
Wisconsin had a challenging path to the final, defeating Michigan State in a nail-biter thanks to another outstanding performance from John Tonje. On the other hand, Michigan earned its place in the championship game with a thrilling last-second shot from Tre Donaldson, who led the Wolverines past Maryland in the semifinals.
With a Big Ten Tournament title at stake, fans can expect a fierce and competitive showdown between these Big Ten giants, making for some interesting Wisconsin vs. Michigan predictions.
Wisconsin Badgers: The John Tonje Show
Wisconsin's success in the tournament has been driven by John Tonje's amazing performance, as he has become the team's main scorer. The senior guard has been on fire, averaging 25.3 points per game and shooting an impressive 61.5% from the field and 57.1% from three-point range.
His ability to score in different ways makes him really hard to defend, and he’s also leading the Badgers in rebounds with 7.7 per game. Thanks to Tonje's scoring, Wisconsin has averaged nearly 78 points in this tournament.
However, he has also been turning the ball over a bit, averaging 3.0 turnovers per game, which is something the Badgers need to fix, especially against Michigan’s quick defense. If Tonje keeps playing well, Wisconsin has a great chance to win the title.
Michigan Wolverines: Need To Limit Turnovers
Michigan's offense has been doing pretty well this season, sitting at 40th in the country with a field goal percentage of 47.8%. However, they've had a big problem with turnovers. In their recent tournament victory against Maryland, they lost the ball 16 times, and this has hurt them in important games.
Point guard Tre Donaldson has been a good playmaker, averaging 7.0 assists per game, but he sometimes makes mistakes. Meanwhile, forward Danny Wolf is leading the team with six turnovers per game during the tournament.
As they face Wisconsin, a team that takes advantage of mistakes, Michigan really needs to be careful with the ball. If they can manage their possessions well, they have the talent to keep up. But if they don’t, Wisconsin could easily score off their errors and take control of the game.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
FanDuel Sportsbook promptly released the Wisconsin vs. Michigan odds and lines for the matchup as soon as it was announced. Here are the most recent figures:
- Wisconsin Badgers (-146) vs. Michigan Wolverines (+122)
- Spread: Wisconsin -3.5 (-102) vs. Michigan +3.5 (-120)
- Game Total: Over 149.5 (-115) vs. Under 149.5 (-105)
Wisconsin vs. Michigan Spread Pick: Wolverines +3.5 (-120 at FanDuel)
In what shapes up to be a closely fought game, Michigan +3.5 (-120 at FanDuel) is a smart choice for Wisconsin vs. Michigan predictions. Both teams are playing at their best, but Michigan's advantage in size in the frontcourt gives them the upper hand.
Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf have been dominant inside throughout the season, and they could be the key against a Wisconsin team that struggles with rebounding. Wolf has been impressive in the tournament, averaging 12.5 rebounds per game, and his impact will be crucial in reducing second-chance points for the Badgers.
Wisconsin's offense is performing well, specifically John Tonje, but Michigan's guards have the size to challenge him effectively. Additionally, the Wolverines boast a more efficient inside game, ranking 40th in the nation for field goal percentage, while Wisconsin sits at 112th.
Since Michigan has already beaten Wisconsin earlier this season, they are likely to keep the game close. Some Wisconsin vs. Michigan predictions could even seem them pull off an upset.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan Injury Report & Starting Lineup
Wisconsin Badgers Injury Report
- C. Hunter (G) – Questionable: Undisclosed
- R. Greppi (F) – Questionable: Undisclosed
Wisconsin Badgers Projected Starters
- J. Tonje (G) – (18.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG)
- J. Blackwell (G) – (15.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG)
- S. Crowl (F) – (9.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG)
- M. Klesmit (G) – (9.7 PPG, 2.7 APG)
- N. Winter (F) – (9.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
Michigan Wolverines Injury Report
- J. Pippen (G) – Out: Undisclosed
- S. Walters (F) – Out: Back
Michigan Wolverines Projected Starters
- V. Goldin (C) – (16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG)
- D. Wolf (F) – (12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG)
- T. Donaldson (G) – (11.5 PPG, 3.9 APG)
- N. Burnett (G) – (9.9 PPG, 40.6% 3PT%)
- R. Gayle (G) – (9.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG)
How To Bet On Wisconsin vs. Michigan At FanDuel & Claim $200 In Bonus Bets
Discover all the details below, or simply click this link to grab the latest FanDuel promotion – no bonus code required! This exciting new offer opens up all sports for qualification, not just our Wisconsin vs. Michigan picks. Just make a deposit of $10 or more and place a wager of at least $5 on any event, and you’re all set.
Choose a bet you feel confident about, and if it wins, you’ll not only earn your winnings but also receive $200 in bonus bets! This means you can enjoy 40/1 odds, even on a top money line favorite! While our Wisconsin vs. Michigan predictions are a great option, don’t forget to click here to claim the new FanDuel promo first.
Player News
Carlos Narváez is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s bout against the Mariners.
Narváez will get a breather for the series finale. Connor Wong will be behind the plate and hit ninth against Luis Castillo and the Seattle bullpen.
J.P. Crawford is not in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Red Sox.
Crawford will get a breather with Garrett Crochet on the bump for the Red Sox. Dylan Moore will handle leadoff and shortstop duties while Crawford gets a breather.
Ravens signed CB Jaire Alexander, formerly of the Packers.
Green Bay explored trade options for the disgruntled corner this offseason and also made an offer to keep him in town on a restructured deal, but nothing came of either effort. They eventually chose to release Alexander after no other resolution was found. As they tend to do, the Ravens quickly swooped in to sign the former shutdown corner. Alexander has still been effective when on the field in recent seasons, but his health has been a constant issue and was reportedly a source of frustration for the Packers organization. He has appeared in more than seven games just once over the past four seasons. Baltimore’s pass defense was a disaster over the first half of the 2024 season before turning the corner over the final two months. Bolstering the secondary with Alexander should help prevent a potential backslide in 2025.
ESPN’s Rob Demovsky reports WR Matthew Golden “seemed to immediately gel” with Jordan Love in offseason practices.
It’s good news for the 23rd overall selection in the 2025 draft. Golden, Demovsky added, “should get plenty of playing time right away” in a Green Bay offense that could be without Christian Watson (knee) to start the regular season. While it seems unlikely Golden will establish himself as an unquestioned No. 1 option in the run-first Packers offense, he could see a good number of downfield looks from Love, an excellent deep ball thrower. Golden’s struggles against man coverage in college suggest he won’t be an elite NFL wideout by any measure.
Ceddanne Rafaela is not in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Mariners.
Rafaela will get the finale against the Mariners off. Kristian Campbell is starting in center, and David Hamilton will handle second base.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Luke Weaver (hamstring) could skip a rehab assignment.
Weaver threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday and reportedly looked “excellent.” The session has Boone thinking that Weaver won’t need a rehab assignment after all and could return to the Yankees bullpen this weekend, which would be way ahead of his potential six-week timeline for recovery. It remains to be seen whether he will get the closer’s job back when he returns, but it feels likely that both he and Devin Williams will remain in the mix for saves.