Wisconsin Badgers basketball seeing confidence surge after critical wins over Michigan, UCLA

After a slow start to the season, the Badgers have turned a corner and are looking to keep rolling

Jan 10, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) shoots on Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Madison, Wis. -- Wisconsin guard Nick Boyd may have been one of the few people to accurately predict the Badgers' impressive week, when they took care of UCLA at the Kohl Center and defeated No. 2 Michigan in Ann Arbor.

"We just gotta get one," Boyd said after Wisconsin's loss to Purdue, which came right before the UCLA win. "Once we get over that hump and get one, I think this team is going to get rolling."

Boyd's prediction came through in a way that would have felt far-fetched just a few weeks ago, when the Badgers were pummeled by Nebraska and held a 7-4 record through Dec. 19.

Now, Wisconsin's season outlook is drastically different, and the recent turnaround has the Badgers' confidence skyrocketing.

"I told this group, 'let's be the villain of today'" 😈

John Blackwell told Bill Raftery the Badgers had a chip on their shoulder today. @BadgerMBB pic.twitter.com/LSZ3xNSy68

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 10, 2026

Wisconsin can compete at the highest level but aims to stay level-headed

One of the first concerns after a big upset win is a team taking their foot off the gas pedal. That doesn't seem to be the case for the Badgers.

They hit the court for practice roughly 24 hours after a season-altering win in Ann Arbor, but the chatter in the practice gym didn't mention the Wolverines. Instead, Nolan Winter said it was about what would come next for the Badgers: a rivalry game against Minnesota on Tuesday.

That doesn't mean he's dismissing the magnitude of Saturday's victory.

Thanks to Wisconsin beating the No.1 team in the NCAA NET rankings on the road, the #Badgers jumped 13 spots up to No.40 in this morning's rankings.

UW is now:
1-5 vs Quad 1
3-0 vs Quad 2
1-0 vs Quad 3
6-0 vs Quad 4

— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) January 11, 2026

"We had that fight that we were searching for," Winter said after practice. "That just does a lot for confidence, knowing that we can compete with anyone in the nation."

He echoed Boyd's earlier sentiment, pointing to the importance of getting over the hump and defeating a high-level opponent.

"Getting that win against UCLA, just getting a taste of the win and knowing what it takes," Winter said. "(Confidence) is through the roof right now."

The Badgers could be getting hot at the right time, as they have plenty of winnable games upcoming.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers basketball is finally playing with an edge, and it's yielding better results

They'll play Minnesota (twice), Rutgers, Penn State and USC in their next five games. It's not a stretch to think they can go undefeated in that span.

If they do, their record would improve to 16-5 overall and 8-2 in Big Ten play.

But Wisconsin and its players aren't getting ahead of themselves. They know there are no easy games in this conference.

"You don't really have an off night in the Big Ten," Winter said. "Moving forward, we've got to keep our heads humble and know that we got a big test for us Tuesday."

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