Wisconsin Badgers Have a Final Four-Caliber Offense This Season, According to Analytics

The Wisconsin Badgers are scoring at a clip that could carry them deep into the NCAA Tournament. Can their defense keep up?

Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) shoots on Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) in the second half at Crisler Center | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers offense this season isn't just hot. It's good enough to get them deep into the NCAA Tournament, if their defense can keep up.

According to the analytics over at Ken Pom, this Badgers offense is Final Four worthy.

On3 Bracketologist James Fletcher ran the numbers on the offensive and defensive ratings for the past five NCAA Tournament fields to get a sense of how good the offenses and defenses were that advanced deep into March Madness.

The Wisconsin offense is on par with teams that went to the Final Four.

Since 2021, Final Four teams have averaged an offensive rating of 121.3. So far this season, the Badgers offense clears that at a rating of 123.2, which is good for 21st best in the country.

The problem for Greg Gard is that the threshold for Final Four defenses is a rating below 93.3. This year, Wisconsin sits at 102.5, which ranks 55th in the country.

That's not even a Sweet Sixteen-caliber defense, according to the analytics.

Related: Jay Bilas Ranks Wisconsin Badgers Outside of Top 35 Basketball Teams in the Country

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard is shown during the first half of their game against the Michigan State Friday, February 13, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's easy to see these ratings reflected in the Badgers' results this season.

They have scored 90 or more points in 11 of their 18 wins this season. They've also given up 80 or more points in nine games this season, going 5-4 in those contests.

Their most impressive wins over Top 10-ranked Michigan and Illinois were both games where their defense gave up 88 and 90 points, but their offense did enough to pull ahead at the end.

Wisconsin may have to keep winning in shootouts to advance far in March Madness, if their level of defense doesn't improve over the final five games of the regular season and into the Big Ten Tournament.