Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan State
Five Things to Know: Wisconsin hosts No. 10 Michigan State
February 12, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Badgers seek second-straight top-10 win
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men’s basketball team looks to knock off its second top-10 team this week, taking on No. 10 Michigan State on Friday at the Kohl Center.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT. The game is sold out, but fans can find tickets on SeatGeek.com. Those that 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.
STRIPE OUT THE SPARTANS
Friday's game is a stripe out, meaning each section will solely rep the Cardinal or White. Fans can find their section’s color on UWBadgers.com, or @BadgerMBB on Instagram, X and Facebook. The Spartans are the second ranked team UW has faced at the Kohl Center this year as UW took on then-No. 5 Purdue to open the 2026 calendar year. Wisconsin is 12-2 this season at the Kohl Center.
THE HAIR GOES HOME SAD
The Badgers (17-7, 10-4 Big Ten) upset No. 8 Illinois, 92-90, in an overtime thriller on Tuesday in Champaign. Wisconsin erased a 12-point second-half deficit, marking the fifth time in the last nine games where UW has overcome a double-digit deficit to win the game. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell led the way, each posting 20-point performances. Austin Rapp had 18 points off the bench on the strength of four three-pointers. UW nailed a season-high 16 triples in the game, the team’s most ever in a road game. Bucky also improved to 15-0 when scoring at least 80 points this season, and topped the 90-point mark for a school-record 10th time this season.
Wisconsin now owns road wins at both Michigan and Illinois.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 11, 2026
That's as bulletproof as you can get for an NCAA Tournament resume. https://t.co/EXfqolcxQ2
BULLETPROOF RESUME
Tuesday’s win marked UW’s second top-10 road win of the season, along with a 91-88 victory at No. 2 Michigan on Jan. 10. Wisconsin and Illinois are the only schools in the country with multiple top-10 road wins, being two-of-seven schools with multiple top-10 wins overall this season. The Badgers also improved to 37th in the NET, and 7-7 against Quadrant 1 and 2 opponents. Including Friday’s upcoming contest, the Badgers have five remaining games against Quadrant 1 opponents (MSU, at Ohio State, at Washington, Iowa, at Purdue).
KNACK FOR KNOCKING OFF THE TOP
Head man Greg Gard has built a reputation for taking out the nation’s top teams, now collecting 13 regular season wins over AP top-10 opponents since he started in the 2015-16 season. Those 13 wins are the third-most in the Big Ten during the Gard era (Dec. 23, 2015). Seven wins have come on the road, which is tied for the most in the nation during Gard’s tenure.
THE NICK BOYD EXPERIENCE
Nick Boyd’s scoring streak is beginning to make waves, not only this season, but as one of the all-time greats in program history. Following his 25 points on Tuesday, Boyd is now the first Badger since Johnny Davis (2021-22) to score 20-plus points in five-straight games. He’s up to 15 20-point games this season, good for second in the Big Ten, and has the most in the country since Jan. 1 with nine. All-around, Boyd’s 20.2 points per game rank fourth in the conference.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Badgers and Spartans have enjoyed a back-and-forth rivalry this decade, with UW going 5-4 over MSU since the 2020-2021 season. They split the honors last season, with Michigan State taking a regular season contest, 71-62, in East Lansing, before Wisconsin beat MSU in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, 77-74. John Tonje poured in a game-high 32 points, while John Blackwell had 14, to propel UW to the championship game.
Michigan State (20-4, 10-3 Big Ten) is tied for third in the Big Ten standings, one game ahead of the Badgers. They’re also coming off an overtime win over Illinois, beating the Illini 85-82 last Saturday at home. It was MSU's first ranked win of Big Ten play, coming off the heels of a 76-73 defeat at Minnesota just three days prior. Sophomore point guard Jeremy Fears leads the Spartans with 15.1 points per game. UW will look to thwart his playmaking as he averages 9.1 assists per game.
