Wisconsin Badgers
Providence
Five Things to Know: UW vs. Providence
November 24, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Wisconsin takes on Providence on Thanksgiving in San Diego
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team tips off at the Rady Children’s Invitational against Providence on Thursday, Nov. 27, before either No. 10 Florida or TCU on Nov. 28 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion in San Diego.
UW will host a Thursday fan event at Home & Away in San Diego, starting at 10 a.m. PT. Spend your Thanksgiving with fellow Badgers as we cheer on the Packers and prepare for tipoff against Providence. Giveaways will be available while supplies last. The free event is open to all Badger fans.
The Badgers look to win their third-consecutive holiday tournament, and fourth in the last five years.
Thursday’s tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch on FS1, or tune into the Badger Radio Network as Chris Vosters and Brian Butch have the call.
If UW wins on Thursday, they will play in the championship game of the Rady Children's Invitational on Friday, Nov. 28 at 4:30 p.m. CT. If UW loses on Thursday, they will play in the consolation game on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. Both games on Friday will air nationally on FOX.
HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAYS
Wisconsin has seen significant success in holiday tournaments over the last two decades, winning seven events in the last 19 years. All seven of those squads reached the NCAA Tournament in their respective seasons.
Despite more roster turnover than ever in a new transfer portal era, Greg Gard has quickly gelled the Badgers in November, winning their holiday tournaments in back-to-back seasons, and three of the last four campaigns: 2024 Greenbrier Tip-Off, 2023 Fort Myers Tip-Off, and 2021 Maui Invitational. Since 2021, UW is 9-1 in combined holiday tournaments.
LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers (4-1) suffered their first setback of the 2025-26 campaign against No. 9 BYU (4-1) last Friday in Salt Lake City, falling 98-70. Junior Nolan Winter recorded his third double-double of the season, notching 14 points and 14 rebounds. The Minnesota native is up to 14.2 points, and 10.2 rebounds per game this season, being one-of-six Big Ten players to average a double-double this year.
Grad student Nick Boyd had a team-high 16 points in the contest, while John Blackwell and Braeden Carrington each had 14.
AGAINST THE FRIARS
Thursday’s matchup with Providence marks the sixth between the two squads. Bucky seeks their first win over the Friars since Dec. 26, 1961, where they took a New York City neutral-site battle, 95-84. Providence are led by a trio of guards accounting for nearly half of the team’s total scoring. North Texas transfer Jason Edwards leads the way with 19.3 points per game, while UCF transfer Jaylin Sellers has 16 per contest. Estonian freshman Stefan Vaaks has quickly become a go-to guy for Kim English’s squad, posting 14.8 points per game on 46.2-percent shooting.
ROHDE TO 1K
Senior guard Andrew Rohde is up to 987 points on his career, 13 shy of the prestigious 1,000-mark. The Brookfield native began his career at St. Thomas (MN.), being the go-to option with 531 points in a season. He then went to Virginia’s defensive system, being a steady-contributor with 420 points over two campaigns. Rohde is averaging 7.2 points in five games with UW.
HOLIDAY HOOPING
Barring Thursday’s results, Bucky will square off with No. 10 Florida or TCU on Friday. The Gators sit at 4-1 to begin their national championship defense, boasting top national returners like Thomas Haugh (17.8 points per game.) It’ll be the two programs’ first matchup since the Badgers’ heartbreaking 2017 Sweet 16 loss. UW are 2-3 against the Gators all-time, earning wins in 2013 and 1967.
The Horned Frogs enter the tournament at 3-2, featuring long-time Providence guard Jayden Pierre, who has 12.2 points this season. TCU recently lost to No. 7 Michigan in a tightly-contested 67-63 battle. It would be the first meeting in history between the Horned Frogs and Badgers.
