Wisconsin Badgers
Ohio State
Five Things to Know: UW vs. Ohio State
January 29, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Badgers seek fourth-straight win over OSU
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men’s basketball team looks to string a pair of wins together against Ohio State on Saturday at the Kohl Center.
UW has taken five of its last six against the Buckeyes, including victories in the past three seasons. OSU leads the all-time series, 95-79, but Wisconsin holds a 15-7 advantage at the Kohl Center.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game is sold out, but spectators can find tickets on Seatgeek.com. Fans who can’t make it to Madison can watch on FOX as Jason Benetti and Steve Smith have the call, or listen to Matt Lepay and Brian Butch on the Badger Radio Network.
The game will also be a Power of Us game celebrating communities and culture. The Badgers will be wearing Power of Us shooting shirts and a halftime performance from the "Divine Nine." The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), also known as the “Divine Nine,” is a collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities.
LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers matched the largest second-half comeback in program history during a 67-63 win over Minnesota on Wednesday in Madison. Wisconsin fell behind 35-17 at the halftime break, but rallied for its 11th-straight victory over the Gophers, which is the longest streak in UW history. John Blackwell and Nick Boyd led the way for Bucky, each posting 20-point performances. Blackwell poured in 23 points, including four three-pointers, while Boyd had 21, dropping 19 second-half points.
BACKCOURT BATTLE
Blackwell and Boyd have their work cut out for them Saturday against Ohio State’s backcourt tandem of Bruce Thornton and John Mobley Jr. Alongside Boyd and Blackwell, Thornton and Mobley Jr. are the only backcourtmates in the Big Ten to each average 15-plus points per game. The two tandems also have extremely similar playmaking numbers as UW’s pair dishes out 5.8 assists per game, while OSU sits at 6.2. For the Buckeyes, Thornton will carry the majority of scoring off the dribble, while Mobley acts as his complimentary shooter, averaging 3.1 made triples a game - the third most in the conference.
THE NICK BOYD EXPERIENCE
The 6-foot-3 New York native continued his scoring prowess Wednesday with his 12th 20-plus point performance this season. That mark is good for second in the Big Ten, and is the fifth-most nationally. He’s up to 20.0 points per game this season, which ranks third in the league. Wednesday marked the fifth-time he and Blackwell have gone for 20 points in the same game, with the Badgers being a perfect 5-0 in those contests.
SUITS & SNEAKERS
During Saturday’s contest, the coaching staff will take part in the Coaches vs. Cancer “Suits and Sneakers” initiative. They’ll wear custom sneakers painted by patients from the American Family Children’s Hospital.
Last month, the staff welcomed patients and their families from the American Family Children’s Hospital to tour the Kohl Center and watch practice. After practice, the patients spent time with the players and staff to decorate the sneakers that will be worn throughout the special week.
On Wednesday, the Badgers recognized patients of UW Health Kids at center court during the first half.
Learn more here.
A LEGEND RETURNS
Saturday’s Honorary Captain is Ken Siebel, the third Badger in history to reach the 1,000-point threshold. A three-year starter at Wisconsin and two-time All-Big Ten honoree, Siebel led UW in scoring twice and free throw percentage in all three seasons. He was a hero in Wisconsin’s 1962 upset over No. 1 Ohio State, shutting down future Hall of Famer John Havlicek. In 1963 Siebel was selected by Baltimore in the NBA draft. A 2006 UW Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Siebl established an endowed scholarship fund to support a member of the Badger men's basketball team each year when Greg Gard took over in 2016.
