JEFF ALLEN GAME PREVIEW: PITTSBURGH vs. WISCONSIN
Friday’s feature spotlight preview features two middle seeds out of the power conferences, each program having major
history in the Big Dance. No.10 seed Pittsburgh (21-11, 9-9) has had a non-descript year that has put long-time HC Jamie
Dixon on the hot seat. Dixon has been rumored to be in the mix for both the TCU and UNLV jobs. No.7 seed Wisconsin
(20-12, 12-6) has had it’s own coaching drama with the Bo Ryan fiasco and a rock solid audition by interim Greg Gard.
The Vegas line on this game opened with the Badgers -2 and the total 131. There has been some minor play on the under
but the number remains Wisky -2 and 131.
Pittsburgh goes eight players deep in it’s rotation and is a pretty good perimeter team with all players getting minutes able
to knock down jumpers. Forward Michael Young (16.7, 7.7, 2.4) is the Panthers bet player. Jamel Artis is Young’s front court
partner and has pretty solid numbers (14.4, 4.8, 3.1) himself. At 6th in the ACC and 46th overall in the nation, Pitt can play
defense when it wants but doesn’t necessarily show up every night.
Wisconsin’s run in the Big Ten was fueled by the emergence of PF Nigel Hayes. At 6’9″ and 235, Hayes (16.3, 5.8, 3.0) is a
beast that plays big on both ends of the floor. He hits foul shots in the crunch and is a big time defensive stopper. Bronson
Koenig (13.4, 3.0, 3.4) is the Badger sniper knocking down better than 40% of his shots from behind the arc. In essence, this
is a Bo Ryan team as these are his kids. Expect a Badger like performance here.
Pitt struggled to a 4-7 mark down the stretch but was back loaded with the ACC heavyweights during that run. The Panthers
have done extremely well in this round, advancing to the second day in seven of it’s last eight tries. Wisconsin has also won
eight of it’s L9 first round games in The Dance. Wisky’s weakness is not defending the three well but Pitt is just 16-64 from
downtown in it’s L4 games. Pitt’s only non-conference loss was to Purdue of the Big Ten in the Conference challenge. The
team that shoots the ball well here will win. While that’s not earth shattering, we know both teams can play defense and the
under might be the way to go.