Wisconsin
Why Wisconsin volleyball’s next two matches could carry big postseason implications
Badgers have two big opportunities to boost RPI at home vs. Minnesota, Indiana
Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield comments on getting swept by Nebraska
Wisconsin volleyball became the 12th consecutive team to be swept by top-ranked Nebraska. Here’s what Kelly Sheffield said after the loss.
MADISON – Wisconsin volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield has not shied away from expressing his dislike of RPI.
“There’s a lot of different metrics out there; our sport uses very little of them,” Sheffield said earlier in the season.
But RPI – as Sheffield fully recognizes – underscores how important Wisconsin’s next two matches are as the 11th-ranked Badgers take on No. 22 Minnesota on Nov. 5 and No. 18 Indiana on Nov. 9 at the UW Field House.
Wisconsin is No. 20 in RPI in the Nov. 3 rankings with eight matches remaining in the 2025 schedule. Indiana and Minnesota are tied for No. 12 in RPI.
“Two teams that are above us in the RPI,” Sheffield said. “And you start getting to this time of year that those types of things start mattering a little bit more.”
While RPI obviously is not the only factor that the NCAA selection committee will use when it announces the postseason bracket on Nov. 30, it does suggest the Badgers have some work to do to earn one of the top 16 overall seeds that are required to host the first two rounds.
UW has hosted the first two rounds in all but two seasons during Sheffield’s tenure. The Badgers had to go to Iowa State in 2017, where they knocked off the Cyclones to advance to the regional semifinals. The other time was in 2020, when the NCAA used only one site due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Obviously a big goal is to be hosting that opening weekend of the tournament,” Sheffield said. “It’s a big deal. It’s a big deal to this community and our fan base. … Coaches are always trying to find a way to spin it anyways, but you really want to be home.”
These two matches are not Wisconsin’s last chance to boost its postseason résumé and increase its chances of hosting. No. 9 Purdue will visit the Field House on Nov. 19, and No. 22 Minnesota will play the Badgers again on Nov. 28 in Minneapolis to conclude the 2025 regular season.
But there is not a massive margin for error for a Badgers team with four losses and only one win against teams currently ranked in the AVCA coaches poll. (Georgia Tech, Florida and UCLA were ranked at the time of Wisconsin’s wins over them, but now they are merely receiving votes.)
None of last year’s top 16 overall teams had more than seven losses. Fortunately for Wisconsin, all four losses so far this year have been to teams that remain ranked, No. 1 Nebraska, No. 4 Texas, No. 17 USC and No. 25 Penn State. Texas and Nebraska are a combined 40-2 so far this season.
At the same time, Wisconsin has not been quite as competitive against top-tier opponents since losing 2024 third-team All-American setter Charlie Fuerbringer to a shoulder injury. (Her timeline to return is unclear.)
The Badgers are 1-3 against AVCA-ranked teams since Fuerbringer’s injury versus 3-1 before that. That record comes with the caveat that the most recent ranked loss – No. 1 Nebraska’s sweep at the UW Field House – would have been daunting, even if Fuerbringer had been healthy.
“We’ve just got to continue to evolve and get better, which I think anybody that’s been watching us can see that,” Sheffield said.
Victories over Minnesota and Indiana would likely stand out on Wisconsin’s postseason résumé as quality wins. The Gophers have lost only once against a team that is not at least receiving votes in the coaches poll and boast a quality win over Indiana.
Then Wisconsin will face what Sheffield described as “maybe the best team that Indiana has ever had.” The Hoosiers are tied with UW for third in the Big Ten with a 9-3 conference record and coming off a sweep over Penn State.
“We’ve got two more opportunities in front of us – really good teams – and then it doesn’t stop there,” Sheffield said. “Probably the back half of our schedule is probably a little bit tougher than our first half. And I think we’ll probably learn a whole lot more about ourselves.”
Wisconsin
Winter weather advisory issued for southeast Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory from 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 through 6 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10.
This is for Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties, where heavy lake effect snow can produce 2″ to 5″ of snow with locally higher amounts possible if the snow band(s) persist longer and/or produce heavier rates of snowfall during this time.
Heavier amounts of snow and higher impacts continue from Lake County in Illinois through Chicago, Valparaiso, and South Haven. Northerly winds are moving very cold air over the warmer waters of Lake Michigan, creating concentrated bands of heavy snow.
Depending on the orientation of the winds, this can move the lake effect snow bands into various areas in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.
Trends are continuing to favor an intense band that can bring heavy snowfall to some lakeshore areas. There will be a sharp cutoff gradient of heavy snow to light snow, all depending on where the snow band sets up.
There is a slight chance that the lake effect snow could stay more over the lake if the winds stay more out of the north. That would cut down on the amount of snow that southeast Wisconsin can see. However, most models are trending at pushing the band into Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha counties, causing snow to accumulate 2″ to 5″.
Snow is going to move in during the evening hours when most people will be at home and sleeping, but due to the cold temperatures of the air and ground, snow will likely cause travel impacts Monday morning. It is not recommended to drive in lake effect snow due to the intense low visibility that can occur.
Plan for extra travel time tonight and into Monday morning as snow will likely stick on the pavement.
Your Fox6 Weather experts are watching this closely and will have you covered.
The Source: Information in this report is from the FOX6 Weather Experts and the National Weather Service.
Wisconsin
Marquette and Wisconsin renewed women’s basketball rivalry and the OT game had everything
New Marquette women’s basketball coach Cara Consuegra introduced
See what new Marquette women’s basketball coach Cara Consuegra said about returning and leading a program for which she was once an assistant.
The women’s basketball rivalry between Marquette and Wisconsin is back on, and the game on Nov. 8 at the Al McGuire Center showed why it should be scheduled every season.
The Golden Eagles won in overtime, 65-62, in the first matchup of the state rivals since 2017. The tense battle provoked the full spectrum of emotions for MU (2-0), including frustration, pain, fear and then exhilaration.
“These guys haven’t had the opportunity to play Wisconsin before, but I have a lot throughout my entire career,” said MU head coach Cara Consuegra, a former player at Iowa and staff member at Penn State.
“So I knew this was going to be a really tough game. So we talked about that we thrive in adversity and we’re built for moments like this. And I thought this entire game was a lot of adversity in so many different ways.”
MU guard Kennedi Perkins hurts neck in scary fall
There was a very scary moment late in the first half.
UW (1-0) held a 31-21 lead, its biggest of the game, with just over 3 minutes left in the second quarter when MU senior guard Kennedi Perkins fell backward after attempting a running shot in the paint. Perkins’ head collided with the lower right leg of the Badgers’ Breauna Ware.
Perkins stayed down on the court in pain. After play was stopped on the other end, MU’s trainer and two assistant coaches ran out to check on her. The on-site paramedics then put Perkins on a stretcher and brought her to a local hospital with a neck injury.
“She’s OK,” Consuegra said. “They have her at Froedtert, just getting checked out. But nothing serious, just really precautionary.”
The game was delayed more than 10 minutes.
“One of our principles is to stay in the moment,” Consuegra said. “Obviously seeing the stretcher come out, I think was rattling for everybody.
“That’s when we huddled up as a team and, one, let them know she was going to be OK. But, two, understanding we just got to stay in the moment. We can’t change what happened and let’s play hard for our teammate that went down.”
Jaidynn Mason’s big steal part of big run for MU
The game was mostly a slog for the Golden Eagles, who finished with 20 turnovers.
“The first half we didn’t do much of what we wanted to do,” Consuegra said. “So it was difficult.”
UW made all six of its 3-pointers in the first half.
MU kept trying to get over the hump in the second half, but it looked grim facing an eight-point deficit with 2:18 left in thr fourth quarter
But a 3-pointer by the Golden Eagles’ Skylar Forbes provided a jolt of energy. MU’s defense then got two stops sandwiched around a layup by Halle Vice. Forbes’ step-back jumper with 48 seconds left brought the Golden Eagles within 57-56.
MU’s Jaidynn Mason then made the defensive play of the game, getting a steal with 19 seconds remaining. UW’s Ronnie Porter grabbed Mason’s jersey before the MU guard could get a breakaway layup. After a review by the officials, the foul was upgraded to a flagrant.
Forbes made two free throws to give MU the lead. With the Golden Eagles getting the ball back, Forbes was fouled again. She made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line to give MU a 59-57 advantage.
“It was just us trusting our principles, trusting our defense and trusting each other,” Consuegra said.
The Badgers missed a 3-pointer with eight seconds left, but Kyrah Daniels secured the offensive board and dropped in a putback to tie the game at 59-59.
Forbes had a driving attempt blocked by UW’s Shay Bollin, forcing overtime.
Skylar Forbes hits winning 3-pointer in overtime
Through three quarters, Forbes had one point and only 3 field-goal attempts.
She finished with 19 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“I don’t know how much of a flip of the switch it was,” Forbes said. “Kind of reiterating Coach, just staying in the moment. Just making sure that I’m there for my teammates and knowing my teammates are there for me.
“So just being able to get the spots that I know I can get to.”
Forbes hit the winner in overtime on a 3-pointer from the top of the key with nine seconds remaining.
“I rep that shot a lot in my individuals,” Forbes said. “We rep it in practice. My preparation, that was the one thing (that gave her confidence).”
Consuegra jumped in to say that Forbes was getting up shots at 7:30 that morning.
“So … not a surprise,” Consuegra said.
MU coach Cara Consuegra loves having rivalry with UW back
MU’s victory evened the series with UW at 13-13.
Consuegra is in her second season at MU, and if she has her way the teams will play every season.
“I think that they’re the two premier basketball programs in the state,” she said. “Obviously there’s a tremendous rivalry on the men’s side.
“And there was a tremendous rivalry when I was here as an assistant. And, quite frankly, I was stunned when I got here and realized we hadn’t played in eight years.
“So I’m grateful for the opportunity to play and the games are going to be like this. Like a dogfight, but those are what rivalry games are.”
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers freshman guard Zach Kinziger ‘contemplating’ redshirting in 2025-26
Wisconsin Badgers coach Greg Gard speaks highly of his four freshmen
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard spoke highly of each of his four freshmen ahead of the 2025-26 season.
MADISON — Wisconsin freshman guard Zach Kinziger may potentially redshirt the 2025-26 season, UW coach Greg Gard told reporters after the Badgers’ Nov. 7 win over Northern Illinois.
“Zach came to me probably a week ago, and we talked about it, and he’s contemplating it,” Gard said. “He wants to get his degree from Wisconsin. He wants to contribute at a high level. But he knows he’s got experienced and older guys in front of him that, quite frankly, are older and more experienced, so they have a head start.”
Gard emphasized that he and Kinziger are “still thinking about it,” and there is not necessarily a deadline to make a decision. The freshman from De Pere did not play in either of UW’s first two regular season games. He was the only player who did not see the floor in the Badgers’ 97-72 win over Northern Illinois.
“That really won’t become official until after the season if he doesn’t appear in any games,” Gard said. “But I said right now, if you’re undecided, we’ll just not put you in until we get to a point — and hopefully, knock on wood, nothing happens and nobody gets hurt.”
Kinziger, a former four-star recruit, is among a particularly crowded group of guards. San Diego State transfer Nick Boyd, preseason all-Big Ten honoree John Blackwell and Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde have been Wisconsin’s starters. Others in the rotation include Jack Janicki, Braeden Carrington and Hayden Jones.
If the 6-foot-3 guard indeed sits out his freshman season, that would leave the Badgers with 13 players who are available in the 2025-26 season. Gard’s group is short one player in the frontcourt after Temple transfer Elijah Gray was dismissed from the team.
“His future can be very impactful here,” Gard said. “He’s just got really good guards in Blackwell and Boyd that he can learn from, and that’s what I told him. … ‘Your best teacher and best experience for this year has been eyed up, nose-to-nose with Nick Boyd every day.’ And that’s going to help him more than anything and more than he realizes it right now.”
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