Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament: How to Watch and Game Thread - #4 Seed UCLA Bruins vs. #5 Seed Wisconsin Badgers
The Bruins meet the Badgers in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals
Ah, conference tournament time. That means it’s time for the return of weekday daytime basketball.
Today, the #4 seed UCLA Bruins face off against the #5 seed Wisconsin Badgers at about 11:30 am, depending on when the game between Michigan State and Oregon ends.
It’s the second meeting between these teams this season. In the first meeting, the Bruins defeated the Badgers at Pauley Pavilion back on January 21, 85-83. Despite beating Wisconsin during the regular season, UCLA is a 1.5 point underdog today.not The fact of the matter is that the Bruins have not traveled well East of the Rockies this season and today’s game is being played in Indiana.
If that’s not enough of an explanation as to why Wisconsin is favored today, you also need to figure that the Bruins and the Badgers finished the regular season with an identical conference record, and UCLA earned the higher seed by virtue of having beaten top seed Michigan State at home.
Wisconsin Badgers
The Badgers will likely have the same five starters they had when they faced UCLA back in January.
Since the teams met back then, Wisconsin has won eight of their twelve games while the Bruins have won nine of their twelve games.
Because UCLA got the four seed via the conference tiebreaking procedure, the Badgers only received a bye for the first round instead of the double bye the Bruins had. As a result, the Badgers had to play Northwestern yesterday and topped them 70-63 to advance to today’s game.
Now, it becomes a question as to whether or not the double bye helps or hurts the Bruins. Yes, they have an extra day of rest since they beat Southern Cal, but does the win over the Wildcats give the Badgers some momentum that UCLA doesn’t have?
Personally, I’m going to have to say that I like a rested Bruin team in this game, especially if Aday Mara plays well today.
Listen to the Game With TMB
Today’s game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with Guy Haberman, Stephen Bardo and Rick Pizzo on the call. Of course, you can opt to listen to Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray on the radio or online instead. To listen online, just right-click on the link below so that you can open up another tab and have it going while you chat in the comments below. Listen to today’s online.
This is your UCLA men’s basketball vs. Wisconsin Badgers Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals game thread. Here’s how to watch, listen and stream todays’s game.
Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals
Teams: #4 Seed UCLA Bruins (22-9, 13-7) vs. #5 Seed Wisconsin Badgers (24-8, 13-7)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 6-2
When: Approx. 11:30 am PT, Friday, March 14, 2025 (25 minutes after end of Michigan State vs. Oregon)
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
TV: Big Ten Network with Guy Haberman, Stephen Bardo, and Rick Pizzo
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Radio/Audio
Local Radio: AM 570 with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Ch. 84
Online: uclabruins.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Tournament Notes:
UCLA
Go Bruins!!!
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Wisconsin is shooting some absolute junk threes (sponsor logo distance and everything) and getting them to go in. There’s only so much defending you can do if they’re getting those to fall.
There are a few where UCLA is not rotating quick enough, but they’re decidedly trying to protect the paint and Wisconsin is just hitting those shots at an abnormal clip.
17 minutes left in the half and Wisconsin is already in the bonus.
The Big Ten refs!