---

Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech prediction and game preview, as the 8th-seeded Badgers and 9th-seeded Hokies face off in the NCAA Tournament.

---

Wisconsin battles Virginia Tech in an intriguing 8-9 battle. Greg Gard and the Badgers did not play well during the season’s final stretch before advancing to the Big Ten tournament final and losing to Michigan. Meanwhile, the Hokies were one of the toughest teams to play against in the ACC on a nightly basis. They may be undersized, but the Hokies have the guards to score.

Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech Game Preview

Date: Thursday, March 16
Venue:  KeyBank Center
Region: East, Buffalo

Wisconsin Strengths

The Badgers have plenty of NCAA Tournament experience. Bronson Koenig, Nigel Hayes, Vitto Brown and Zak Showalter have played in two Final Fours – including a loss in the national title game two years ago – and helped Wisconsin reach the Sweet 16 last year, when National Player of the Year candidate Ethan Happ was a redshirt freshman.

Wisconsin Weaknesses

The Badgers were at their worst toward the end of the season, which isn’t ideal heading into a single-elimination tournament. Koenig, especially, has struggled.

Wisconsin Badgers In-Depth Analysis

[ooyala code=”YycWVhYTE6oAjpxEwJ07wAcroom22E-H” player_id=”85d68cda3f97481cbe4e9c09cdb87ae8″ width=”500″ height=”400″ auto=”false” platform=”html5-priority”]

Virginia Tech Strengths

Offensive balance. The Hokies have five players averaging at least 9.1 points per contest, led by Zach LeDay at 15.6 points per game. Seth Allen (13.1), Ahmed Hill (11.9), Justin Robinson (10.4) and Justin Bibbs (9.1) are all capable of standout games and carrying the load.

Virginia Tech Weaknesses

The loss of Chris Clarke was a devastating blow for the Hokies. While they have played well despite the brutal season-ending injury to their glue player, he was a versatile sophomore power forward who was averaging 11.4 points and a team-leading 7.3 rebounds per game. The Hokies had rebounding issues even with him on the floor, so this is a brutal blow because he was their best player on the glass. Clarke was also a good passer, especially in the transition game, as he often used his athleticism to bring the ball up the court on the break. Those are the types of players that become unsung heroes in March. Ty Outlaw has picked up the bulk of the minutes since Clarke went down, and he’s been very good. But Clarke was a key cog in the VT machine.

Virginia Tech Hokies In-Depth Analysis

[ooyala code=”wwcWVhYTE6HxsZ7OQhQN3u_anASaBrMo” player_id=”85d68cda3f97481cbe4e9c09cdb87ae8″ width=”500″ height=”400″ auto=”false” platform=”html5-priority”]

Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech By The Numbers

Wisconsin Statistics

Scoring Margin: – 11.0 (24)
Rebounding Margin: – 6.5 (22)
Turnover Margin: – 2.2 (47)
3-Point FG Percentage: 34.9% (185)

Virginia Tech Statistics

Scoring Margin: – 5.1 (89)
Rebounding Margin:  -1.9 (264)
Turnover Margin: -.3 (199)
3-Point FG Percentage: 40.5% (10)

Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech Prediction

The Hokies have the athleticism to give the Badgers trouble, but Buzz Williams and Co. will feel the loss of do-everything Chris Clarke in this one.

Wisconsin vs. Virginia Tech Score Prediction: Wisconsin 60, Virginia Tech 55

MORE: Complete NCAA Tournament Bracket, Previews, Predictions