How to Watch Northwestern Women's Basketball vs Wisconsin: Preview, Predictions, TV Channel

It's been a season of streaks thus far for Joe McKeown's Northwestern Wildcats. The women's basketball squad started off strong, going 6-0 to kick off the 2025-26 season. But then they dropped 10 straight games, potentially dooming their bid for their first NCAA Tournament action since 2020-21.

Most recently, the Wildcats pulled themselves out of the nosedive somewhat, ending their skid with a 19-point blowout over Rutgers earlier this week. Granted, the 8-9 Scarlet Knights are missing all six of their top scorers from 2024-25, but Northwestern still capitalized on its relatively green competition.

Game Preview

Wisconsin is incredibly seasoned (although the team has added some key new veteran pieces), and could give Northwestern fits. Or maybe the Wildcats will start a new win streak and spark a midseason turnaround.

First-year Badgers head coach Robin Pingeton has helped rehab the program after several seasons of mediocrity under former coach Marisa Moseley. Still, they're vulnerable, smarting after an 86-60 road blowout against the No. 6-ranked Michigan Wolverines on Sunday.

Northwestern X-Factors

Wisconsin's strength just happens to be one of Northwestern's biggest weaknesses. The Badgers boast a Big Ten-most 25.7 3-point tries a night (38th-most in college), connecting on 33.2 percent of those looks. Wisconsin is paced on that long range front by transfers Kyrah Daniels from Missouri State (who's nailing 31.6 percent of her 6.7 trey attempts) and Destiny Howell out of Howard (who's making 35.8 percent of her 5.1 triple takes).

Northwestern, meanwhile, has a significantly lighter 3-point shot diet. The Wildcats are taking a scant 18.9 triples per bout (good for 239th-most in the NCAA) and connecting on just 28 percent of those looks (277th). The Wildcats also struggle to contain their opponents at the arc, allowing a generous 20.6 looks from deep (207th in college).

Still, the Wildcats enjoyed an impressive defensive showing against Rutgers on Sunday. Northwestern limited the Scarlet Knights to just 29 percent field goal shooting.

Against Rutgers, point guard Caroline Lao was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double, chipping in 12 points, 16 assists (which tied a Northwestern women's basketball record), and eight boards. After her 6.0 assists a night (against 2.8 turnovers) paced the Big Ten last year, the 5-foot-9 senior has leveled up in 2025-26. Her 9.3 dishes a night across 17 games this season lead the entire NCAA Division I.

Lao is the engine that kicks off Northwestern's offense. It will be critical that she helps set the tone with a motion attack.

Predictions

Smarting off a two-game losing skid, the motivated Badgers will likely come out swinging, and will lean on the transfers to kick off a 3-point-heavy offense. The Wildcats need to build on their Rutgers win.

Joe McKeown has propelled Northwestern to a stellar 10-3 home record over the Badgers throughout his stewardship of the program. Another Welsh-Ryan Arena win on Thursday would represent a pretty massive upset. But the Wildcats need it.

Final Score Prediction: Northwestern 65, Wisconsin 58.

How to Watch

Matchup: Northwestern (7-10, 1-5 B1G) vs No. Wisconsin Badgers 11-6 (3-3 B1G)
When: Thursday, January 15
Where: Welsh–Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
Time: 7 p.m. CST
Watch: Big Ten Plus (online)

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