Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs. Wisconsin Badgers Betting, March Madness Pick

Big Ten dual champion Wisconsin might seem like a big-conference bully, but it's also only 3-10-1 against the spread in its last 14 games as a double-digit favorite. The top-seeded Badgers will be double-digit favorites when they hit the court in Omaha, Nebraska, Friday night to take on 16th-seeded Coastal Carolina in a West Region round-of-64 game.

Opening spread

The Badgers opened as 19.5-point favorites (compare lines and consensus on the Odds Shark matchup report).

Why pick Coastal Carolina to cover the spread

The Chanticleers finished in a tie for third place in the Big South this season, then won three games in three days to win the Big South tournament and claim a second consecutive NCAA tournament berth. Overall, Coastal Carolina has won seven of its last eight games.

Earlier this season, the Chanticleers gave NCAA entrant UCLA a good game well into the second half and covered as 15-point underdogs. A few weeks later, they led Ole Miss, another Big Dance participant, at the half in Oxford and had that game tied with less than a minute to go, losing 71-68 but covering as seven-point dogs.

And last March, Coastal Carolina, as a No. 16 seed and a 19-point underdog, led top-seeded Virginia by five points at the half in a round-of-64 NCAA tournament game and was tied with nine minutes to go, eventually losing 70-59. So the Chanticleers have had some recent financial success against quality foes.

Why pick Wisconsin to cover the spread

The Badgers come into the Big Dance on a 16-1 straight-up run, the only loss in that span coming at Maryland three weeks ago. Wisconsin finished the regular season with solid victories over Michigan State, Minnesota and Ohio State to secure the Big Ten regular-season title, then swept Michigan, Purdue and the Spartans to win the Big Ten tournament. So Wisconsin is at the Big Dance for the 17th season in a row.

The Badgers own victories this season over Boise State, UAB, Georgetown, Oklahoma and Buffalo, NCAA tournament teams all, not to mention their eight combined victories over March Madness teams from the Big Ten. The Badgers have lost three games this season: to Duke, at Rutgers in a game Frank Kaminsky missed due to injury and on a cold-shooting night at Maryland.

Wisconsin doesn't dazzle; it just finds the open man, plays solid defense without fouling, hits the boards and takes care of the ball. All at the same time.

Smart betting pick

Wisconsin is likely to win this game, but it has had trouble covering big numbers as of late. Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina has proved it can cover against quality opponents. The smart money here probably resides with the Chanticleers, plus the points.

Power rankings (per Odds Shark power ranks)

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers: No. 109

Wisconsin Badgers: No. 5

March Madness betting trends

- Coastal Carolina went 7-1 SU to end the season.

- Wisconsin went 24-2 SU in its final 26 games of the season.

- Wisconsin is 2-8-1 against the spread in its past 11 games as a double-digit favorite.

- Wisconsin is 7-1-1 ATS in its past nine NCAA tournament games.

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