After spending the past few months on the outside looking in, Wisconsin is officially back in the AP Top 25, checking in at No. 24 this week - and they didn’t sneak in quietly. The Badgers made their statement loud and clear with back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents that reminded everyone just how dangerous this team can be when it’s clicking.
It started Tuesday night in Champaign, where Wisconsin pulled off a gutsy road upset against No. 8 Illinois in a game that had all the drama you could ask for.
Down double digits late in the second half, the Badgers didn’t flinch. Instead, they leaned on the backcourt duo of John Blackwell and Nick Boyd to claw their way back.
Blackwell’s shot-making and Boyd’s poise in crunch time helped force overtime - and once they got there, Boyd took over. A few clutch buckets later, Wisconsin walked out with a 92-90 win and a jolt of momentum that carried into the weekend.
That momentum was on full display at the Kohl Center, where the Badgers delivered arguably their most complete performance of the season against No. 10 Michigan State.
From the opening tip, Wisconsin set the tone - fast pace, sharp ball movement, and lights-out shooting from beyond the arc. They built a commanding first-half lead and never let the Spartans back in it, cruising to a 92-71 win that felt like a statement not just to the Big Ten, but to the rest of the country.
What stood out wasn’t just the wins themselves, but the way Wisconsin won. The Badgers showed resilience on the road and dominance at home, with a balanced attack that’s starting to look like it has real staying power. Their offense is humming, the defense is tightening up, and the backcourt is playing with confidence that can carry them deep into March if they keep it up.
Now comes the next test: sustaining that level of play. Wisconsin hits the road again Tuesday night for a showdown with Ohio State, followed by a Sunday home tilt against Iowa.
Neither team is currently ranked, but both are fighting tooth and nail for NCAA Tournament positioning - and that makes them dangerous. These are the kinds of games that can trip up a hot team if focus slips even a little.
Tip-off against the Buckeyes is set for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night. If the Badgers bring the same energy and execution we saw last week, they’ve got a real shot to keep climbing.