No. 12 JMU to Face No. 5 Wisconsin in NCAA First Round Friday Night in Brooklyn

No. 12 James Madison (31-3) vs. No. 5 Wisconsin (22-13)
NCAA South Region First Round
Friday, March 22, 2024 – 9:40 p.m.
Brooklyn, N.Y. | Barclays Center

HARRISONBURG, Va. – JMU makes its return to the big dance as the No. 12 seed in the South Region, as it faces No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship on Friday, March 22 in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Tipoff from Barclays Center is set for a 9:40 p.m. and will be nationally televised on CBS. Fans can also watch live on March Madness Live and on Paramount Plus with the SHOWTIME plan.

Pregame radio coverage on the Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network begins at 9 p.m. Additional radio coverage is available on Westwood One through SiriusXM 201 or 208.

JMU's run through the NCAA Championship is presented by Augusta Health.

Game Information
Television: CBS
Watch Online: March Madness Live
JMU Radio: WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network
National Radio: Sirius XM 201 or 208
Live Stats
JMU Game Notes | Wisconsin Game Notes
@JMUMBasketball | #GoDukes

DUKES DANCIN' IN BROOKLYN, FACE BADGERS FOR FIRST TIME

JMU and Wisconsin will match up for the first time ever in basketball Friday night.
JMU is making its sixth appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and eighth overall berth, joining its pair of Division II runs.
The Dukes are 4-5 all-time in the DI tournament, advancing through the First Four in 2013 and moving to the Second Round in 1981, 1982 and 1983.
This is the first time JMU has been a No. 12 seed.
Last time in the tournament, JMU defeated Long Island, 68-55, in the First Four before falling to No. 1 Indiana, 83-62, in the First Round in Dayton, Ohio.
JMU also owns NCAA Championship against West Virginia (#7 in 1983), Ohio State (#8 in 1982) and Georgetown (#7 in 1981).
The Dukes have faced one team twice - North Carolina in 1981 and 1982.
Friday will mark the third all-time meeting for JMU against a Big Ten foe in the championship.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The JMU-Wisconsin winner will face the winner of No. 4 Duke and No. 13 Vermont on Sunday, March 24.
A win would put JMU in the round of 32 for the fourth time ever and first time since 1983.
It would also be the highest seed JMU has ever defeated in the NCAA Championship and its second win this season over a Big Ten squad, having defeated then-#4 Michigan State, 79-76 in overtime in the season opener.

SCOUTING THE BADGERS

No. 5 seed Wisconsin enters Friday's NCAA first round with a 22-13 overall record.
The Badgers advanced to the Big Ten Conference Championship final, falling 93-87 to Illinois. That came a day after they knocked off top-seeded Purdue, 76-75, in the semifinals.
UW finished fifth in the Big Ten regular-season standings with an 11-9 league mark.
Wisconsin turned in a strong conference tournament despite dropping eight of its final 11 regular-season games.
Four Badgers were named All-Big Ten, as they're led by Second Team honoree AJ Storr, who averaged 16.9 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Two earned Honorable Mention status, including All-Defensive Team member Chucky Hepburn, who scores 9.3 points with 3.4 boards, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals. John Blackwell also averages 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds, while Steven Crowl (11.2 ppg) and Tyler Wahl (10.8 ppg) average double figures.
Wisconsin scores 75.1 points per game while conceding 69.9 per outing. It ranks third in the Big Ten in both rebounding margin (3.2) and fewest turnovers (9.7).

COMMON OPPONENTS

JMU and Wisconsin have two common opponents in 2023-24, as both combined to go 3-0 against Michigan State and Arkansas State.
The Dukes opened the season with a 79-76 overtime win at Michigan State.
UW opened Big Ten play with a 70-57 win in East Lansing and later downed the Spartans, 81-66, at home.
Both faced Arkansas State, as JMU took a 77-73 win in Jonesboro while rolling to a 91-71 victory in the Sun Belt title game in Pensacola, Fla.
Wisconsin began the season at home with A-State, posting its season high in points in a 105-76 triumph.

NATION'S LONGEST WIN STREAK

JMU opens NCAA Championship play with the longest active win streak in America, at 13 straight games.
The Dukes haven't lost since Jan. 27 at Sun Belt regular-season champion App State (82-76).
The new streak began on Feb. 1 with a 105-67 victory versus Coastal Carolina and since then, JMU has posted eight double-digit wins, which includes four by 20 or more.
The Dukes are one of four tournament-bound teams riding a double-digit win streak, as Charleston has won 12 in a row, followed by McNeese (11) and Vermont (10).
JMU also opened the season on a program-record, 14-game win streak, leading to its first AP Top 25 ranking, being as high as #18.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television: CBS
Online: March Madness Live
Listen: Morris Insurance & Financial JMU Radio Network

On the radio – WSVA 92.1 FM/550 AM
Online: The Varsity Network

Broadcast Talent

CBS – Ian Eagle (pxp), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst), Tracy Wolfson (sideline)
JMU Radio: Dave Riggert (pxp)
Westwood One: Chris Carrino (pxp), Jon Crispin (analyst)