Preview: Oklahoma at No. 24 Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE — No. 24 Wisconsin will put its 2025-26 squad on the floor for the first time against Oklahoma in the Bad Boy Mowers Series on Friday. Badger Blitz previews the exhibition matchup…

PROJECTED STARTERS

OKLAHOMA

G Nijel Pack (5-10 Sr.) – 13.9 ppg, 4.3 apg

G Xzayvier Brown (6-2 Jr.) – 17.6 ppg, 4.3 apg

F Derrion Reid (6-8 So.) – 6.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg

F Tae Davis (6-9 Sr.) – 15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg

C Mohamed Wague (6-10 Sr.) – 3.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg

WISCONSIN

G Nick Boyd (6-3 Sr.) – 13.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg

G John Blackwell (6-4 Jr.) – 15.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg

G Andrew Rohde (6-5 Sr.) – 9.3 ppg, 4.3 apg

F Austin Rapp (6-10 So.) – 13.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg

F Nolan Winter (7-0 Jr.) – 9.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg

What to Watch

Running it Up

This one could be a track meet and mimic an NBA game at Fiserv Forum. Granted, Oklahoma is replacing lottery pick Jeremiah Fears, but the Sooners were still No. 46 nationally in KenPom’s offensive efficiency rankings. Meanwhile, Wisconsin had one of its best offensive seasons in school history, finishing No. 13. Both teams averaged better than 78 ppg last season and certainly had their struggles on the defensive end, particularly OU, which surrendered 80 or more points in nine of its final 12 games.

Pack Attack

Want to see Wisconsin’s guard against a very talented and experienced player in Pack. The senior has been around the block and is now entering his sixth season at three different schools. Pack began his career at Kansas State before spending three years at Miami (FL). He played in just nine games last season due to injury, but has averaged in double figures in each of the last five years and is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter.

Wisconsin’s Bench

Throughout open practices, it felt like Wisconsin’s bench rotation could be very fluid. We know sophomore Jack Janicki is likely the sixth man and has a big role carved out. However, the rest of the group is up in the air.

The Badgers have bodies, but they’re either new to college basketball or the program. Tulsa transfer Braeden Carrington is a solid 3-and-D guard. Outside of him, not sure anyone else is a sure thing. The true freshmen Hayden Jones, Zach Kinziger, Will Garlock, and Aleksas Bieliauskas all have a case for minutes.

A lot of it may depend on the mindset of head coach Greg Gard. Is Wisconsin trying to win this game or get everyone an even look?

Prediction

Like Wisconsin, Oklahoma has revamped its roster through the portal. That said, neither side probably feels comfortable with how this is going to look.

That frontcourt for the Sooners could be a problem. The Badgers are not built to hold up against big athletes in the paint. However, the 3-pointer is the ultimate equalizer. The Badgers are coming off a season in which they set a program record for made 3-pointers and might be in a position to top those marks in 2025-26. Again, a lot of new faces, but the Sooners were among the best in the country in defending against the ‘3’ (30.3%).

Obviously, I haven’t been to a Sooner practice, but the Badgers look very cohesive. I think you ride with the older team in what’s essentially a home game against an OU squad that lost 90 percent of its points and 89 percent of its minutes from last season.

Wisconsin 85 Oklahoma 80