Preview: Wisconsin at No. 23 Nebraska
If Wisconsin (7-2, 1-0) is going to win in its first true road game of the season, they’ll have to do it against a red-hot Nebraska (9-0) team that comes in ranked for the first time since 2018. The 23rd-ranked Huskers are also off to their second-best start in school history, and with a win, would match the 1977-78 squad, which began the year 10-0.
“I think they’re a well-coached team,” said junior guard John Blackwell. “They’re a very unselfish team. You don’t win that many games without being unselfish and playing for each other.”
Badger Blitz previews and predicts Wednesday’s Big Ten Conference matchup.
GAME INFO
Time: 8 p.m. CST
Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena (Lincoln, Neb.)
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox Sports Go
TV Crew: Jeff Levering, Shon Morris
Series History: Wisconsin leads 23-17
Last Meeting: Wisconsin won 83-55 in Madison
Vegas Line: Wisconsin – 1.5
NUMBERS TO KNOW
1: Wednesday marks the first time that Wisconsin will face a ranked Nebraska team.
2: Nebraska has won the last two meetings against the Badgers in Lincoln.
6: The two teams have split the last six meetings.
10: Gard is 10-5 against the Cornhuskers as UW’s head coach.
17: Since NU joined the Big Ten, UW is 17-7 versus the Huskers.
STARTING LINEUPS
NEBRASKA
G Sam Hoiberg (6-0 Sr.) – (7.8 ppg, 4.0 apg)
G Jamarques Lawrence (6-3 Sr.) – 9.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg
G Pryce Sandfort (6-7 Jr.) – 15.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg
F Berke Buyuktuncel (6-10 Jr.) – 7.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg
F Rienk Mast (6-10 Sr.) – 18.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg
WISCONSIN
G Nick Boyd (6-2 Sr.) – 20.2 ppg, 3.3 apg
G John Blackwell (6-4 Jr.) – 21.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg
G Andrew Rohde (6-6 Sr.) – 7.4 ppg, 2.6 apg
F Nolan Winter (7-0 Jr.) – 13.1 ppg, 9.8 rpg
F Aleksas Bieliauskas (6-10 Fr.) – 4.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg
WHAT TO WATCH
Will Wisconsin hold up in the post against Rienk Mast?
Bieliauskas was terrific against Marquette, but the Golden Eagles don’t exactly have a great frontcourt. That will be put to the test against Mast, who averages better than 18 points per game while shooting 54 percent from the field. Mast has scored 20 or more points in three of Nebraska’s last four games.
“You have somebody like that back, who’s old, experienced, and now healthy, and how they set up offensively what they do around him, spreading the floor, and they have good players around him who understand their role,” said Gard. “He presents a lot of problems just because of his ability to pass. Obviously, his ability to shoot the ball from 3. And, he will straight-line drive you and work you in the post a little bit too.”
PREDICTION
Bart Torvik gives Wisconsin a 39 percent chance of winning and predicts an 80-77 win for Nebraska.
It’s going to be a raucous environment. The Huskers can tie their best start in program history with a win. Not only that, going back to last season, NU has won 14 games in a row.
They haven’t seen a team like the Badgers yet in 2025-26, however. To beat Creighton by 21 is impressive, but the Bluejays have been a mess all season. NU’s best win to this point is against Oklahoma, who ranks No. 58 in KenPom.
The two things we know are going to bother Wisconsin — size and 3-point defense. The Huskers have a physical frontcourt, but they don’t do a very good job of defending the arc. NU allows nearly 10 3-pointers per game, which ranks No. 335 nationally. However, NU can keep pace with a team like the Badgers, averaging 11.1 triples per game, good for No. 15 in Division 1.
Defensively, Nebraska seems to be a different team than we’re used to seeing. The two teams Wisconsin has faced in their realm this season — BYU and TCU — it’s gotten ugly. Both of those losses were away from home.
My head says Nebraska, just given the way Wisconsin’s defense has not traveled this season. However, Vegas setting the road team as a small favorite versus a home, ranked opponent generally screams trap (Yes, I see the line has since moved toward Nebraska). Perhaps the Badgers, having played a much more rigorous schedule to this point and getting their teeth kicked in a couple times, pays dividends against NU, who hasn’t tasted defeat yet.
Wisconsin 78 Nebraska 76
