Wisconsin Men’s Basketball Set for Big Ten Tournament Debut The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team is preparing to compete in the 2026 Big Ten Tournament, set to begin on March 10 at the United Center in Chicago. The Badgers, seeded No. 5 in the tournament, will face either Washington or USC in the opening game on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. CT. This marks the team’s fourth appearance in the tournament as a No. 5 seed, following previous runs to the Big Ten title game in 2024 and 2025. Wisconsin’s path to the tournament included a strong regular-season performance, finishing with a 22-9 record and a 14-6 mark in Big Ten play. The team’s success was highlighted by victories over three top-10 opponents, including wins at No. 2 Michigan, No. 8 Illinois, and No. 10 Michigan State. Additionally, the Badgers secured three top-25 road wins, a feat achieved for the third time in school history under head coach Greg Gard. The team’s recent game against No. 15 Purdue on March 5 was a standout performance, with Wisconsin defeating the Boilermakers 97-93. The Badgers hit a season-high 18 three-pointers, with Austin Rapp and Aleksas Bieuliauksas combining for eight three-pointers. John Blackwell led the team with 25 points, including five three-pointers, while Nick Boyd added 23 points and 5 assists. The win solidified Wisconsin’s No. 5 seed in the tournament. Key players earned recognition for their contributions. Nick Boyd was named to the second-team All-Big Ten after averaging 20.1 points per game, while John Blackwell earned third-team honors with a career-high 18.3 points per game. Sharif Chambliss was also honored as the Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year for his work in developing student-athletes. Wisconsin’s tournament seeding is bolstered by its rankings, including No.#big_ten_tournament #university_of_wisconsin #united_center #austin_rapp #aleksas_bieuliauksas
