Takeaways from Wisconsin basketball’s NCAA Tournament seed, draw, opponent and location

The Wisconsin Badgers officially received their 2025 NCAA Tournament seed, opponent, location, and schedule on Sunday.

Fresh off a disappointing 59-53 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten title game, Wisconsin earned a No. 3 seed in the East region. It will take on the No. 14 seed Montana Grizzlies in the round of 64 on Thursday in Denver, Colorado.

The two teams in the Denver pod site are No. 6-seed BYU and No. 11-seed VCU. If victorious, Wisconsin will play either BYU or VCU for an opportunity to clinch a berth to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2017.

Fortunately for Wisconsin fans, the Badgers put together a string of impressive performances in the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. They defeated Northwestern 70-63 on Thursday, netted 19 three-point attempts against the UCLA Bruins in a 16-point win on Friday, then received 32 points from star John Tonje in a win over Michigan State on Saturday. Finally, the team ran out of gas, falling to Michigan in the title game.

Unlike previous seasons, this iteration of Wisconsin is layered, efficient and dangerous offensively. It averages just under 80 points, dishes out nearly 15 assists per contest and rosters five players responsible for at least 9.4 tallies per game.

With No. 1 seed Duke, No. 2 seed Alabama and No. 4 seed Arizona also placed in the East region, the Badgers will look to lean on their offensive prowess to make their deepest tournament run in at least seven years.

As the Badgers near the tipoff of March Madness and an opening test against No. 14-seed Montana, here are some primary takeaways from the draw:

Wisconsin missed the Milwaukee pod site

Of all the storylines revolving around Wisconsin’s draw, the most notable is the team’s opening-round location. Instead of winding up as a No. 3 seed in the Midwest region and competing against No. 14 Troy at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Badgers will make the trek to Denver for the first and second rounds.

If the team had drawn the Midwest region, Wisconsin would have certainly received a healthy batch of home fans scattered throughout the stadium. The journey to Milwaukee is only 80 miles, making it a de-facto home game.

On one hand, Wisconsin missing the Midwest region means it avoids teams like Houston, Gonzaga, Clemson, Purdue and Illinois. However, opening in Milwaukee would have created an ideal game atmosphere.

Wisconsin has a tough road to the the Sweet Sixteen

Wisconsin has dropped its round of 64 or 32 game in four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Its path towards the Sweet 16 will again be a bit cloudy. A season ago, the Badgers fell as the No. 5 seed to No. 12 James Madison. They mustered just 61 total points in that match, with 21 combined tallies from A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn, the program’s top pair of options at the time. This season’s scoring duo is much, much different.

Sophomore John Blackwell and First-Team All-Big Ten honoree Tonje have stepped up in the team’s most significant finishes this season. Pitted against a Montana team with the No. 143 position in the NCAA NET Rankings, the duo should vanquish the Grizzlies on skill alone.

BYU, meanwhile, scores 81 points per game and occupies the No. 24 spot in both the NET and KenPom. The team rosters eight players who score at least seven a game and defeated Kansas, Arizona and Iowa State earlier this season. To win, Wisconsin will require its best from both Tonje and Blackwell, as well as respectable scoring contributions from Steven Crowl, Nolan Winter and others.

Wisconsin would likely be favored in a battle against the Cougars. As fans know, anything can happen in the Big Dance.

Wisconsin received a challenging regional draw

Duke, Alabama, Arizona, Oregon and BYU stand between Wisconsin and an appearance to the Final Four this postseason. Narratives surrounding the special feeling of this season’s team are certainly valid. However, Wisconsin will have difficulty containing a team like Duke or Alabama in the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight.

On Saturday, Duke took the ACC title crown without the services of future No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Alabama, meanwhile, reached the Final Four a season ago with the same No. 1 option — Naismith semifinalist Mark Sears. While excellent, Tonje may not be the same caliber of player as Flagg or Sears.

Two things can be true. While Wisconsin is likely a long shot to reach the Final Four or national title game, an Elite Eight appearance would break the program’s current streak of first and second round exits. It would also importantly stave off any of Gard’s remaining doubters.

The Badgers will require big games from Carter Gilmore and Kamari McGee in the Round of 32 — assuming they get there

Against a team of BYU’s caliber, Wisconsin will require all the offensive contributions it can muster. Tonje and Blackwell could drop 20 points each and the Badgers may still find themselves in a precarious situation. To overcome the Cougars’ strong offense, Wisconsin will need a strong bench game

Both McGee and Gilmore have demonstrated their abilities to contribute throughout the season. Gilmore dropped 10 points, five rebounds and five assists against the Spartans on Saturday, while McGee has made countless winning plays throughout the year. Look for either to get hot against BYU in the round of 32.