Wisconsin

Preview: No.5 Wisconsin meets No.4 UCLA in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals

Published

12 months ago

March 14, 2025

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Preview: No.5 Wisconsin meets No.4 UCLA in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals

No.5 Wisconsin (24-8, 13-7 Big Ten) vs. No.4 UCLA (22-9, 13-7 Big Ten)

Date/Time – Friday, March 14, 1:30 p.m.

Arena – Gainbridge Fieldhouse (18,345)

Watch – Big Ten Network (Guy Haberman, Stephen Bardo, Rick Pizzo)

Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch), Sirius 106 or 195, stream online on iHeartRadio.

Series – UCLA leads 6-2 (UCLA leads 2-0 in neutral sites)

Last Meeting – UCLA won, 85-83, on January 23, 2025, in Los Angeles

Follow Online: The Badgers’ Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Wisconsin -1.0

Projected Starting Five (Wisconsin)

Player to Watch: On only five shot attempts, Winter posted 18 points in Wisconsin’s Thursday win over Northwestern, matching the second-highest output of his career. Winter drew nine fouls, went a career-best 9-for-10 from the line, and added six rebounds in the 70-63 victory.

Projected Starting Five (UCLA)

Player to watch: Earning third-team All-Big Ten honors, Bilodeau leads UCLA in scoring and three-point shooting percentage (41.2 percent, 35-for-85). He has scored in double figures in 23 of 30 games this year, including scoring 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting earlier this season against the Badgers.

Series Notes

This will be the first postseason matchup between the two schools.

The Bruins have won the last six meetings, including neutral wins in the 1995 Maui Invitational and the 2017 Hall of Fame Classic.

Wisconsin Notes

With 24 wins, this season already equals the 11th-highest win total in Wisconsin history and the third-highest under Greg Gard. Another win would give the Badgers 25 wins for the third time under Gard and the 11th time in the last 22 seasons.

The Badgers are 16-8 against the top two quadrants of the NET rankings, going 6-7 in Quad 1 and 10-1 in Quad 2. UW is one of nine schools with 16+ Quad 1/2 wins.

Wisconsin is 10-5 away from home, including a mark of 6-5 in true road games and 4-0 in neutral site contests. Over the last two seasons, UW is 9-2 in neutral site games. Only two Major Conference teams have a better winning percentage in neutral site games over the last two seasons: Auburn and 2024 National Champion UConn.

Northwestern shot 37.0 percent from the field Thursday, the Badgers’ lowest by an opponent since holding Nebraska to 33.9 percent shooting on Jan. 26. UW is 10-2 this season when holding teams below 40 percent.

The Badgers finished the game with 10 turnovers against the Wildcats, marking the 20th game with 10 or fewer turnovers this season. UW is 16-4 in those games.

UCLA Notes

Through games played on March 11, the Bruins ranked No. 23 in the country in scoring defense (65.1 ppg), No. 17 in turnovers forced per game (15.3), and No. 8 in turnover margin (+4.5).

Through March 11, the Bruins ranked No. 8 in the nation in turnover margin (+4.5), having committed 334 turnovers and forced 474 turnovers by the opposition.

Nine of UCLA’s 10 rotation players have totaled more assists than turnovers through 31 games. Clark (87 assists, 35 turnovers) has recorded a team-best 2.5 assist-turnover ratio. Including Clark, the Bruins have three guards with an assist-turnover ratio better than 2.0-to-1 (Dylan Andrews and Johnson).

Johnson has been named a Big Ten All-Defensive Team selection (one of five), currently ranking sixth in the league in steals per game (1.7 spg, 53 steals in 31 games). Johnson, who hails from Milwaukee, earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors as a sophomore in 2023 and junior in 2024.

The Bruins’ bench has outscored the opposition in 22 of 31 games this season (16-6 record in those 22 games). Sophomore Sebastian Mack has played in all 31 games, entering off the bench in 30 games. Mack has averaged 9.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 73.8 percent at the free throw stripe.

Prediction

Before Saturday’s clunker against Penn State, Wisconsin’s last poor defensive effort came at Pauley Pavilion against the Bruins. The Badgers shot 51.0 percent from the field, 15-for-30 from three, and 18-for-21 from the line and lost by two. The reasons were simple: the Badgers committed 13 turnovers, saw the Bruins shoot 50.9 percent, and were picked apart by their ball-screen defense against reserves Sebastian Mack and Aday Mara. That latter fact resulted in 23 fouls as the Badgers were out of position and forced to chase and reach.

Mack scored 19 against the Badgers and hasn’t scored more than 14 since. Mara had 22 and also hasn’t scored more than 14 since playing UW. Crowl and Winter have seemed to be consistently outworked by true centers all season. Mara’s on that list with the Michigan combination of Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf, Oregon’s Nate Bittle, Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler, and Penn State’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser. It’s optimistic to say UW has grown in the department, but the performances against Bittle, Kohler, and Niederhauser have come in the last three weeks. However, those three players are better than Mara.

UCLA has won 11 of its last 14 games and is quietly peaking at the right time. However, the Badgers don’t appear to have the same offensive rhythm as they did the last time these two teams met in Westwood. Furthermore, UW’s stellar defensive performance Thursday comes with the caveat that Northwestern was really beat up with injuries. UCLA hung 93 on USC in the season finale to claim the final double bye.

Initially planning to pick Wisconsin based on the Badgers getting their feet under them with their victory over the Wildcats, I feel UW’s offense won’t be able to crack UCLA’s tough defense.

Worgull’s Prediction: UCLA by 6

Record: 25-7 (23-9 ATS)

Points off Prediction: 267 (8.3 per game)

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Wisconsin

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

Published

8 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Vote: Who is Wisconsin High School Boys Basketball’s Top Guard of 2025-26?

With the action-packed Wisconsin high school boys basketball regular season completed and March Madness beginning, it’s time to take a look at some of the outstanding players and cast your vote for the best.

We began by looking at the most prolific individual scoring threats, talented 3-point shooters,strong rebounders, and top free-throw shooters so now it’s time to take a look at the high-caliber guards from throughout the state.

There are hundreds of high-caliber boys basketball players in Wisconsin, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive.

Voting remains open until March 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

(Players are listed in alphabetical order and all nominees are leaders from the 2025-26 season as compiled by Bound.com, and WIAA; the poll is below the list of athletes)

Castillo is averaging 25.4 points per game with 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals for Greendale (18-6 overall record).

Collien is averaging 15 points per game with 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists for Oakfield (21-3 overall record).

Edwards is averaging 14.1 points per game with 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists for D.C. Everest (21-3 overall record).

Gray Jr. was averaging 24.3 points per game with 6.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals prior for West Allis Central (22-2 overall record).

Hereford is averaging 36.4 points per game with 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 4.1 steals for Beloit Memorial (22-2 overall record).

Johnson is averaging 27.3 points per game with 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.6 steals for Milwaukee Juneau (22-1 overall record).

Jones is averaging 23.3 points per game with 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.6 steals for Germantown (15-9 overall record).

Kern is averaging 16 points per game with 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists for New Berlin West (21-3 overall record).

Kilgore is averaging 14.6 points per game with 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals for Kewaunee (24-0 overall record).

Kohnen is averaging 16.3 points per game with 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.3 steals for Slinger (20-4 overall record).

Knueppel is averaging 17.4 points per game with 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.4 steals for Wisconsin Lutheran (24-0 overall record).

Loose is averaging 18.2 points per game with 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals for Port Washington (23-1 overall).

Manchester is averaging 35.8 points per game for Mount Horeb (19-5 overall record).

Platz is averaging 19.5 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals for Brookfield East (19-5 overall record).

Prochnow is averaging 21.3 points per game with 11.1 assists, 4.8 assists, and 3.2 steals for Reedsville (21-3 overall record).

Resch is averaging 21.3 points per game with 3.3 assists and 2.0 steals for Arrowhead (18-6 overall record).

Schultz is averaging 27.4 points per game with 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.0 steals for Plymouth (17-7 overall record).

Schwalbach is averaging 15 points per game with 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals for Kaukauna (21-3 overall).

Sweeney is averaging 15.5 points per game for Appleton North (20-4 overall record).

Vandenberg is averaging 13 points per game with 2.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds for Freedom (23-1 overall).

About Our Player Poll Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

— Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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Wisconsin

Setting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin

Published

20 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Setting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin – CBS News

Watch CBS News

CBS News’ Noel Brennan hits a frozen lake in Wisconsin to go ice sailing.

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Wisconsin

Senate must pass bill so WI athletics can stay in the game | Opinion

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Senate must pass bill so WI athletics can stay in the game | Opinion

AB 1034 provides clarity around NIL policies, offers limited financial flexibility tied to existing athletic facility obligations, and ensures that Wisconsin Athletics can compete on equal footing.

Tim Sheehy
| Special to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin’s Assembly Bill 1034 aims to modernize state law to reflect new NCAA rules on athlete compensation.
The bill would relieve several state universities of $15 million in athletic facility debt to reinvest in athletic programs.
Proponents argue the legislation is necessary for Wisconsin universities to compete with peer institutions in other states.
Wisconsin athletics reportedly generate over $750 million in statewide economic impact annually.

Let me put my bias, or experience up front. I was a student athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was fortunate to have one of my sons graduate as a far better student athlete.

I am writing in support of Assembly Bill 1034, which modernizes Wisconsin law to reflect the realities of today’s college athletic landscape, not because of those past “glory days,” but because college athletics has changed more in the past three years than in the previous three decades.

New national rules now see universities sharing millions of dollars annually with student-athletes through revenue sharing and name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. Other states have responded quickly, updating their laws to ensure they can compete in this new environment.

Making sure Wisconsin doesn’t fall behind

The State Assembly, with overwhelming bipartisan support, passed AB 1034, now it’s up to the Wisconsin State Senate to pass this legislation and send it quickly to Gov. Tony Evers to ensure Wisconsin doesn’t fall behind.

AB 1034 provides clarity around NIL policies, offers limited financial flexibility tied to existing athletic facility obligations, and ensures that Wisconsin Athletics can compete on equal footing with peer institutions across the country. In a measured way, the bill would relieve UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay of $15 million of debt related to athletic facilities with the expressed purpose that those dollars would instead be used to invest in athletic programs.

This legislation is critical for two inter-connected reasons, competition and economic impact.

At a recent capitol hearing, UW-Madison Director of Athletics Chris McIntosh explained that 80 percent of the entire athletic department budget is generated by the football program. That revenue underwrites the competitive commitment to the other 11 men’s and 12 women’s varsity teams, supporting some 600 student athletes.

The capacity for this to continue is threatened by $20 million in new annual name and likeness costs that impact all NCAA schools. An expense that will continue to rise. In addition, peer institutions in the Big Ten and across the country are committing substantial additional resources to these NIL efforts. In short, without this debt support, the university and its athletes will not only lose an even playing field, they may lose the ability to get on the field.

This threat from the changing nature of NCAA athletics also poses a threat to the economic impact from college athletics. A recent study found that nearly 2 million visitors came to campus events annually, generating more than $750M in statewide economic impact from Wisconsin athletics. Case in point, each home football game produces a $19M economic impact, with 5,600 jobs in the state tied directly or indirectly to the department’s activities.

This bipartisan legislation is not about propping up a single sport. It’s about protecting broad based opportunities for all our student-athletes, some of whom we just watched win a gold medal for the U.S. women’s’ hockey team.

Athletics are often noted as the front door to the university, but I would broaden that opening to the State of Wisconsin. Our public university system success strengthens enrollment, attracts the talent that drives our prosperity, and serves as a sustaining way forward for our economy.

Bill provides measured and responsible investment

As the former head of one of our state’s largest business groups, I have spent much of my career engaged in economic development. I know what generates “return on investment.” AB 1034 provides a measured and responsible investment that will generate a positive impact for Wisconsin taxpayers, citizens, and employers.

NCAA athletics has changed, and Wisconsin must change with it, or sit on the sidelines. So let’s encourage the Wisconsin State Senate to pass AB 1034 and put Wisconsin in position to compete on the field which provides a win for our student athletes and all of us who benefit from a world class university system.

Tim Sheehy is a UW-Madison graduate and former student athlete. Sheehy served as the president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce for more than 30 years where he oversaw economic development and business attraction for the region.

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