Wisconsin Badgers
Rutgers
Five Things To Know: Badgers return home to face Rutgers
January 15, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Wisconsin takes a three-game winning streak into Saturday's matchup
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team looks to win their fourth-straight contest with a matchup against Rutgers on Saturday at the Kohl Center.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. and tickets are still available on UWBadgers.Com. Fans that can’t make it to Madison can watch the game live on Big Ten Network as Lisa Byington and Shon Morris have the call. Fans can also listen to Matt Lepay and Charlie Wills call the action on the Badger Radio Network.
Anyone else still shaking!?!? pic.twitter.com/LNoyHLP8v8
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 14, 2026
LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers took down bitter rival Minnesota, 78-75, thanks to John Blackwell’s buzzer-beat three-pointer last Tuesday at the Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The junior finished with 27 points, and the game-winner to give Bucky back-to-back road victories. Former Gopher Braeden Carrington went off in his return to the twin cities, pouring in a career-high 21 points off of seven three-pointers. He came up just one shy of the UW single-game record for treys, and connected on the most triples by a Badger since Brad Davison had eight at Nebraska on Feb. 15, 2020. Nolan Winter notched his eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He moved into third in the Big Ten, and sixth on Wisconsin’s single-season double-doubles list in the win.
DOUBLE NICKEL NICK
Grad student Nick Boyd posted 11 points in Tuesday’s win, having now scored double figures in all 17 games this season. The 6-foot-3 point guard is one-of-four Big Ten players to score 10-plus points in every game for their team. Boyd is up to fifth in the conference in scoring, averaging 19.2 points per game. He’s also one-of-five players in the league to drop 35-plus points in a game this year, dating back to his 36-point performance against Providence on Nov. 27.
DYNAMIC DUO
Boyd and Blackwell earned national and conference honors following their recent performances. Blackwell was named the Naismith Trophy Player of the Week Presented by Jersey Mikes after averaging 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3 assists in wins over UCLA and No.2 Michigan. He had 17 points in the 80-72 victory over UCLA, before pacing Bucky to the 91-88 upset over Michigan with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Boyd earned Co-Big Ten Player of the Week and the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Player of the Week that recognizes the nation’s top point guard. He posted 21.0 points per game, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the pair of UW's wins. The New York native had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists against UCLA, following it up with 22-points, 6 assists and zero turnovers against the country’s best defense in Michigan.
SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
The Badgers ride a two-game win streak over Rutgers. UW went to Piscataway last year and cruised to a 75-63 victory thanks to Blackwell’s 21 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Wisconsin also took the 2023-24 contest in Madison, 78-66, where Blackwell went for 17 alongside three double-digit scorers: AJ Storr (19), Steven Crowl (17) and Kamari McGee (11).
The Scarlet Knights come into Saturday’s contest at 9-8, 2-4 in the Big Ten, and as a Quad IV opponent for Bucky. RU took down Northwestern, 77-75, in an overtime thriller last Sunday, led by Tariq Francis’ 30 points. The junior guard carries the load of the Rutgers offense, averaging 15.3 points per game.
WELCOME BACK
Saturday marks UW’s annual Alumni Game, where Wisconsin men’s basketball alumnus return to be recognized. The Badgers will return to the court during halftime for a special presentation, including Ben Brust, Josh Gasser, Rick Olson and more!
