Wisconsin Badgers
Villanova
Five Things to Know: UW vs. Villanova in Milwaukee Hoops Showdown
December 16, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Badgers look to improve to 8-3 on the season
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team returns to action with the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown on Friday. UW will square off with Villanova on Friday in a 7 p.m. contest at Fiserv Forum.
The Badgers look to improve to 8-3 on the year following a loss to No. 15 Nebraska last Wednesday.
BADGERS IN THE BREW CITY:
Join the Badgers at the New Fashioned from 5-7 p.m. on Friday for the UW Credit Union Pep Rally. The event will feature food and drinks for purchase, plus great giveaways. The event will also feature appearances by the Wisconsin Band, the UW Spirit Squad and Bucky Badger!
CREAM CITY BALLIN'
Friday's game marks the 120th time that Wisconsin has played in Milwaukee. UW is 71-48 all-time in Milwaukee, playing its first-ever game in Brew City on Jan. 21, 1899, in a 25-15 loss to Milwaukee Normal Alumni. The Badgers are 2-4 at Fiserv Forum, which opened in 2018, and were 12-8 at the Bradley Center, the former home of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Badgers have twice played in the NCAA tournament in Milwaukee, advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2014 after beating American and Oregon before beating Colgate in 2022 before falling to Iowa State in the Round of 32. Villanova will be the 38th different team that Wisconsin has faced in Milwaukee. The last time UW played a neutral site game in Milwaukee during the regular season was in 2022 when UW defeated Stanford, 60-50, in the Brew City Battle at American Family Field.
KEEPING THE MANTRA
UW has long been one of the nation’s best from the free throw line, with this season being no different. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten conference in free throw percentage with an 80.2-percent rate, good for fourth best in Division I. Their efficient clip is also the highest amongst high-major programs this season. The Badgers get to the line 21.7 times per game, which would rank fourth in program history since 2000. The free throw success comes off the back of a near-record-setting 2024-25 campaign, where UW finished with a 82.6-percent clip for a Big Ten record and second all-time in Division I.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Friday marks just the third meeting between Wisconsin and Villanova. The Badgers won their last meeting in a 2017 Round of 32 thriller, bouncing the defending national champions and No. 1 seed Wildcats 65-62 from the Big Dance.
Villanova comes into Friday’s contest at 8-2 in their first season under Kevin Willard. The former Maryland head coach went 2-3 against UW in his three seasons with the Terps from 2022-2025. The Wildcats only losses have come at the hands of top-10 opponents Michigan and BYU, while they’ve scored one high-major win this year, coming against Pittsburgh last Saturday. Villanova is led by a prolific backcourt of Bryce Lindsay and Acaden Lewis. Lindsay, a transfer from JMU, is averaging 17.2 points per game. Lewis, a true freshman, has taken on the playmaking role with 12.4 points a team-high 5.6 assists per game this season.
STAYING LOCAL
Following UW’s trip to Milwaukee on Friday, the Badgers will play four-straight games at the Kohl Center. UW will face Central Michigan next Monday at 7 p.m. before wrapping up its non-conference slate against Milwaukee on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. Wisconsin will resume Big Ten play on Saturday, Jan. 3 against No. 6 Purdue before facing UCLA on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Badgers are a perfect 6-0 at the Kohl Center this season, highlighted by wins over Northwestern and Marquette. UW has a 24.2-point margin of victory in those six contests.
