The energy inside the Kohl Center is about to hit a fever pitch, but let’s be honest: everyone is still buzzing about what happened in Minneapolis a few days ago. If you missed the wi badgers basketball score from Tuesday night, you missed the kind of game that defines a season.
Wisconsin walked into Williams Arena and, for a while, it looked grim. They were down 11 in the second half. The Barn was rocking. Then, John Blackwell decided he wasn’t losing. He finished with 27 points, but it was that final heartbeat—a 3-pointer at the buzzer—that sealed the 78-75 victory over Minnesota. It was the first true "where were you" moment for this roster, and it pushed the Badgers to a 12-5 record.
Breaking Down the Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Score and Recent Surge
You can't just look at a final score and understand why Greg Gard is smiling more lately. It’s the way they’re winning. Before the Minnesota thriller, they went into Ann Arbor and took down No. 2 Michigan 91-88. Think about that.
They’ve now won three straight.
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- Jan 6: Beat UCLA 80-72 (The defense finally looked cohesive).
- Jan 10: Upset No. 2 Michigan 91-88 (15 made threes, a Big Ten road high).
- Jan 13: Beat Minnesota 78-75 (The Blackwell buzzer-beater).
The scoring hasn't been coming from just one spot. While Blackwell is the "closer," Nick Boyd has been the engine. Against Michigan, he dropped 22. In the UCLA game, he was the guy keeping the floor spaced. It’s a weirdly balanced team that relies on high-volume three-point shooting—they’re averaging over 10 triples a game, which is top-30 in the country.
Who is Carrying the Load?
Nolan Winter has quietly become a double-double machine. He’s 7-feet tall but moves like a wing, which creates a nightmare for traditional Big Ten centers who don't want to chase him to the perimeter. He’s pulling down nearly 9 rebounds a game.
Then there’s the "Gopher Killer," Braeden Carrington. Imagine being a Minnesota fan and watching your former player come back to your home court and hit seven threes against you. That’s exactly what he did on Tuesday. He finished with 21 points, a career-high.
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The Big Ten Landscape Right Now
The wi badgers basketball score has them sitting at 4-2 in the conference, which puts them in 6th place. It’s a crowded house at the top. Nebraska is surprisingly undefeated in conference play (6-0), with Purdue and Michigan right on their heels.
Wisconsin's schedule doesn't get easier, but they've shown they can handle the road. That’s usually the "tell" for a team that’s going to make a deep run in March. If you can win in Ann Arbor and Minneapolis in the same week, you can play anywhere.
Looking Ahead: The Rutgers Matchup
Right now, as of Saturday afternoon, January 17, 2026, the Badgers are prepping for a 1:00 PM tip-off against Rutgers at the Kohl Center. Rutgers comes in at 9-8, struggling a bit on the road but always physically imposing.
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The Badgers are favored by 14.5 points, which feels a bit high given how much energy they spent in the Minnesota comeback. But the Kohl Center is a fortress this year. They’re 9-1 at home. The only blemish was a tough loss to Purdue back on January 3rd.
What to Watch for Today
- The Blackwell Heat Check: After a buzzer-beater, does he start the game aggressive or try to facilitate?
- Aleksas Bieliauskas: The freshman from Lithuania had a career-high 17 points against Michigan. He was quiet against Minnesota. If he finds his stroke today, Rutgers doesn't have the lateral speed to stop him.
- The Fatigue Factor: This is the third game in seven days. Look at the legs on those three-point shots in the second half.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're tracking the wi badgers basketball score for betting or just to stay informed, keep these nuances in mind:
- Watch the First 5 Minutes: Wisconsin is a "rhythm" team. If they hit two early threes, they usually cruise. If they start 0-for-5, it becomes a grind-it-out defensive battle.
- Free Throw Consistency: They’re shooting about 76% as a team. In close games (like the last two), that's been the difference.
- Injury Report: Austin Rapp is currently a game-time decision. His presence in the paint is crucial for defensive rotations, especially against a Rutgers team that loves to drive.
The next few weeks will decide if this is a Top-25 team or just a "hot" team. After Rutgers, they head to Penn State on January 22nd. If they can sweep this week, expect them to jump into the AP Poll on Monday.
Check the live box score at the Kohl Center for the Rutgers game starting at 1:00 PM EST today. Keep an eye on the defensive rebounding—if Nolan Winter hits double digits early, Wisconsin covers that spread easily.