No. 7 Wisconsin had its seven-game winning streak snapped Saturday night, falling 3-0 on the road to top-ranked Nebraska in a matchup that tightened early before the Huskers pulled away.
The Badgers, who entered at 11-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play, opened with enough bite to make the first set a real fight. Neither team ever built a lead larger than three points until Nebraska went up 16-13.
Wisconsin answered right away with a 5-1 burst to move in front 18-17, but the Huskers reclaimed control with a 4-0 run and later held set point at 24-23. Harper Murray closed it out with a kill, giving Nebraska the opener 25-23.
The second set started much the same way, with Wisconsin grabbing an early 6-4 edge. Nebraska responded with four straight points, and the teams traded blows until the score was tied 9-9.
From there, the Huskers began to stretch the gap. A 7-1 run pushed them ahead 16-10, and after Wisconsin picked up one point, Nebraska answered with five more to make it 21-12.
The Huskers finished the set 25-15 and took a 2-0 lead, powered by 35 kills through the first two frames compared with Wisconsin’s 20.
Wisconsin kept scrapping in the third set and forced a 16-16 tie in another back-and-forth stretch. But Nebraska finished stronger, using a 4-1 run and then a 3-0 run to close out the sweep.
The loss was Wisconsin’s fifth straight against Nebraska. The Badgers hit just .171, their lowest mark since facing Texas earlier this season, but head coach Kelly Sheffield still saw value in the performance.
“I thought we played really well in spurts,” Sheffield said, per UW Communications. “What we did tonight would have been good enough to beat just about everybody in the country - just about.
This was great for learning, that we can get back to work and we got this at the front of our heads. This is the standard.”
Freshman Decelise Champion led Wisconsin with 12 kills, one ace and two blocks. Charlie Fuerbringer added 29 assists and seven digs.
For Nebraska, Harper Murray finished with 20 kills, Bergen Reilly had 39 assists and Laney Choboy contributed 12 digs.
In Other News...
Wisconsins New-Look Roster Showed Promise And One Early Concern
Wisconsins exhibition win over UW-Parkside offered an early glimpse of a roster that looks different, deeper and more physical than it did a year ago. The Badgers rolled to a 94-71 victory, with all 11 players who logged significant minutes getting into the scoring column, a sign that the offense may not have to lean on just one or two options while the group finds its footing.
Nolan Winter set the tone inside with 15 points and nine rebounds, and transfer Eian Elmer added 14 points in a debut that hinted at how much help the Badgers may get from newcomers. Wisconsin also flashed better defense and a clear size advantage throughout the night, keeping a double-digit lead in hand most of the way, even as the game offered one early reminder that this roster will still need time to settle into its best rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin Already Has One Early Question In Its New Look Offense
The first look at Wisconsins new offense brought plenty to like in a 94-71 exhibition win over UW-Parkside, especially from the players expected to help shape the next version of the Badgers. Owen Foxwell, Will Garlock and Nolan Winter all had moments that suggested the group can bring more pace and variety than fans have been used to seeing in recent seasons.
Even with that encouraging start, the rotation still has a spot that looks unsettled. The backup point guard position remains an early question for a team expected to play a different style this year, and the exhibition provided a reminder that the Badgers may have to sort through that spot as they settle into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Top TV Ranking Comes With One Huge Catch
Wisconsins early college football TV profile has gotten a boost from a very familiar kind of matchup: a marquee game on a major network against Notre Dame. For now, though, the Nielsen numbers telling that story are built on just that one NBC broadcast, which means the Badgers apparent reach is coming from a single, highly visible window rather than a broad sample of their season.
That leaves the current ranking looking a little sturdier than it really is, at least until more Wisconsin games land on network television. Big Ten Network and Peacock broadcasts are not part of the data being cited, so the picture could shift once more ratings are added in, but when that happens and how much it changes remains unclear. [Read more 🡒]