The No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers will begin their NCAA Tournament journey against No. 12 High Point on Thursday at 12:50 p.m., a tough mid-major opponent and necessary first step in what could be a deep tournament run.,
Wisconsin had a very underwhelming start to their 2025-26 season, losing games in their nonconference slate against BYU, Villanova and TCU. Many questioned whether the Badgers would even make the tournament. However, Wisconsin picked it up in Big Ten play and have been among the best teams in the country over the past few months. Wisconsin ended the season with a 24-10 record, finishing fifth in the Big Ten.
But the Badgers shouldn’t take Thursday’s game lightly. Wisconsin has intimate familiarity with facing a No. 12 in March, as they fell to No. 12 James Madison in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Michigan in the final seconds of the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, and will need to have a short memory to regroup and get ready for the big dance.
High Point plays at one of the fastest tempos in the country and scores close to 90 points per contest. The key to Wisconsin winning this first round matchup will be controlling the pace of the game, while High Point looks for transition baskets. This will give them opportunities to exploit the Badgers, and pace differential can be a key indicator in March Madness upsets.
The Panthers are led by senior Terry Anderson, who’s averaging 16 points and six rebounds per game. Outside of their scoring, High Point is lethal in forcing turnovers. They lead the NCAA in steals per game, averaging 10.9. Wisconsin will need to limit their turnovers against a team who’s great at creating them.
Luckily for Wisconsin, their guard pairing will be ready for the challenge.
The Badgers have arguably the best backcourts in the country in Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, and will continue to rely on them as they have all year long. Boyd is the first player to average 20 points per game for Wisconsin since Michael Finley. Blackwell on the other hand has continued to improve over his three years at Wisconsin. The junior averages 19 points per game on 42/38/86 shooting splits.
The duo put the country on notice recently by combining for 69 points in a win against Illinois, showing just how dangerous they can be this March. Both have some tournament experience under their belt, as Boyd previously played in a Final Four with Florida Atlantic and Blackwell played in three NCAA Tournament games for the Badgers.
One of the reasons Wisconsin comes into this tournament with legitimate aspirations of success is their evolving offense. Wisconsin can put up big numbers against top teams, even when their outside shots are falling.
Nolan Winter has been an anchor for this team on the interior. Boyd’s experience and leadership ability help calm his team when things get big. The moment just seems to find Boyd time and again. When the Badgers’ offense gets going, they are almost impossible to beat. The beauty — and ruthlessness — of March Madness is that everything must align if the Badgers are to make a long run in the tournament. Wisconsin can point to its resume of victories over the best squads in the country as proof that this is a team that can step up to the challenge.
If Wisconsin can get past High Point, they’ll most likely face No. 4 Arkansas. Led by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., the Razorbacks are coming into March Madness as the SEC Tournament champions. They too boast a backcourt pairing that can rival any in the country, as Meleek Thomas compliments Acuff Jr. with 15.4 points per night.
If they can advance past the Razorbacks, tournament favorites Arizona may be waiting as a Sweet Sixteen matchup. The Wildcats won both the Big 12 regular season championship and conference tournament. While the Sweet Sixteen would be a major step forward for a Wisconsin program that hasn’t seen that level of success since 2017, it won’t be easy.
