The Wisconsin Badgers are starting to look like the team many thought they could be back in November. After a rocky start to the season, they’ve strung together four straight wins and are knocking on the door of the AP Top 25.
That’s no small feat, especially considering how far off the national radar they were just a few weeks ago. Now, with matchups against Penn State and USC on deck, Wisconsin has a real shot to reintroduce itself to the college basketball world in a big way.
Let’s rewind for a second. The early part of the season wasn’t all bad - the Badgers were taking care of business against teams they were expected to beat.
But when it came to Quad 1 matchups, they couldn’t get over the hump. The defense looked disjointed, the offense went cold too often, and the team just didn’t seem to be clicking.
It raised a fair question: Was this group going to figure it out?
Fast forward to January, and the answer is starting to look like a yes. Since a loss to Purdue, Wisconsin has rattled off four straight wins, including a statement road victory over then-No.
2 Michigan. Add in wins over UCLA, Minnesota, and Rutgers, and suddenly the Badgers are back in the Bracketology mix.
The turnaround hasn’t just been about results - it’s about how this team is playing. They’re defending better, they’re finding rhythm on offense, and they’re starting to look like a group that believes in itself.
Part of the preseason optimism around this team came from the coaching staff’s recent track record - and from a roster that, while new, had talent. But that newness was also the challenge.
Wisconsin lost seven players to the transfer portal and saw veteran Tyler Wahl graduate. That meant this year’s group had to build chemistry from scratch, unlike last year when John Tonje was stepping into a roster that had already been together for years.
Head coach Greg Gard broke it down pretty clearly. Last year’s team had a foundation - guys like Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, and Carter Gilmore had already established roles and culture.
That made Tonje’s transition smoother. This year?
It’s been almost a full roster reset. Outside of Nolan Winter, John Blackwell, and Jack Janicki, everyone else is new to the program.
That’s a massive shift, and it’s taken time for roles to settle and for players to gel.
One of the biggest adjustments has come in the backcourt, where John Blackwell and Nick Boyd have been learning how to complement each other. Blackwell, who was thrust into a point guard role last season, is now sharing the floor with Boyd, a more traditional point guard with a unique style. That’s meant a shift for both players - in how they handle the ball, how they create offense, and how they lead.
Gard acknowledged that it wasn’t seamless at first. “I think we’re past that,” he said recently, noting how both guards have learned to play off each other.
“Anytime you have new players on the roster, there’s going to be an adjustment period. But I think they both have done a good job of understanding how important the other is.”
And the results are showing. Over the last few weeks, both Blackwell and Boyd have delivered big performances - not just individually, but together. They’re feeding off each other’s energy, making plays, and giving this team a dynamic backcourt presence that was missing early on.
Of course, there’s still work to be done. Gard’s not letting anyone get too comfortable - and he’s right to keep the focus sharp.
The Big Ten grind is just heating up, and consistency will be key if the Badgers want to stay in the mix. But right now, Wisconsin is trending in the right direction.
The pieces are starting to fit. And if this group keeps growing the way it has over the last month, they won’t be flying under the radar much longer.