Wisconsin Badgers
Illinois
Five Things to Know: UW at No. 8 Illinois
February 08, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Badgers look to get back in win column
MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men’s basketball team looks to bounce back with a road matchup against No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
The Badgers (16-7, 9-4 Big Ten) fell in overtime to Indiana on the road Saturday, 78-77, and sit in seventh in the Big Ten standings.
Tuesday’s tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT. Fans can watch on Peacock and NBCSN as John Fanta and Robbie Hummel have the call, or listen to Matt Lepay and Brian Butch on the Badger Radio Network.
WINTER HEATING UP
Junior Nolan Winter notched his second consecutive game with a double-double at Indiana, dropping a career-high 26 points, while hauling in 12 rebounds. He shot an efficient 9-of-13 from the field, connecting on all three three-point attempts. The 7-footer is up to 11 double-doubles on the season, good for second in the Big Ten. His 8.8 rebounds per game rank third in the conference, while his 71.8-percent 2-point clip ranks second in the country (min. 5FGs/game). Only 18 players nationally have finished their season at a higher percentage since 1980.
BOYD BARRAGE
Grad student Nick Boyd continued his prolific scoring with 20 points at Indiana. It’s the 14-time he’s eclipsed the 20-point mark this season, which ranks second in the Big Ten. His 20.0 points per game rank third in the conference. Boyd is also one-of-four Big Ten players to score 10-plus points in every game this season. Since 2000, UW has only had 5 players avg. 18.0+ points per game: Devin Harris, Alando Tucker, Frank Kaminsky, Johnny Davis & John Tonje. All 5 were All-Americans.
HAMMERING THE NAIL
Wisconsin has hit a strong run of form from the free throw line, converting at an 80.8-percent rate over its last 10 contests. UW is up to 78.1-percent on the season, good for third in the conference and 13th in the NCAA. That rate would also be the third-best mark in school history. Last year, Bucky shot 82.6% from the line, a Big Ten record and the second-best clip in NCAA Division I history.
SCOUTING THE ILLINI
The Badgers and Illini have competed in one of the Big Ten’s streakiest matchups over the last 15 seasons. UW snapped a nine game losing streak to Illinois last season with a 95-74 victory. John Tonje poured in 31 points in the affair, while John Blackwell scored 10 of his 16 points in the second-half. Prior to 2019-20, Wisconsin had won 15 straight games over Illinois, dating back to 2010-11.
The Illini (20-4, 11-2 Big Ten) come into Tuesday’s contest as the No. 8 team in the country after falling to No. 10 Michigan State, 85-82, in overtime on Saturday. Illinois ranks fourth in the NET, boasting a 6-4 record against Quadrant I opponents. Five players average double-digit scoring, led by true freshman Keaton Wagler’s 17.8 points per game.
STRIPE OUT MADISON
UW returns home on Friday for a meeting with No. 10 Michigan State (20-4, 11-2 Big Ten). Friday’s tip is set for 7 p.m., and the game is a stripe out. 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.
