Wisconsin Badgers highs and lows reveal team's true identity ahead of postseason

The Wisconsin Badgers started reverting back to the team they were early in the season, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of making some postseason noise

Feb 25, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks center Nate Bittle (32) shoots the ball over Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) during the second half at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The Big Ten Tournament is less than two weeks away, and the University of Wisconsin men's basketball program seems to be limping to the finish.

There's no silver lining from the Wisconsin 14-point loss to Oregon in Eugene on Wednesday, just like there wasn't when the Badgers fell by 17 to the Buckeyes earlier in February.

But that doesn't mean the sky is falling nor does it lessen the Badgers' trio of Top 10 wins.

Instead, it's a reminder that Wisconsin hasn't discarded its early-season flaws. It has just gotten much better at hiding them.

Wisconsin Badgers recent triumphs, shortcomings give team clear identity ahead of postseason

The alarm bells were going off in December when the Badgers were being walloped by BYU and Nebraska and struggling to keep up with TCU or Villanova.

Related: It's time to press the panic button on the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team

Greg Gard and company calmed things down quickly with a torrent six week stretch to start 2026.

They righted many of their wrongs, playing with a level of fight, effort and focus that was absent early on. At times, it felt like that version of the Badgers would be permanent, as Nick Boyd and John Blackwell took turns looking unstoppable while Braeden Carrington, Austin Rapp and Jack Janicki upped their play off the bench.

On both ends, Wisconsin was playing with competitive fire and as a cohesive unit.

That hasn't been the case lately.

"We were trying to create something out of nothing sometimes in the paint, driving into three guys instead of making good decisions," Gard told reporters after Wednesday's game. "The defensive end, specifically the second half, we were as discombobulated as I've seen us in a while."

Both the highs and the lows of the Badgers' seasons are real, exemplifying this team's wide range of outcomes on a given night.

just thinking about this quote right now. #Badgers https://t.co/VYkJ1AZO8l

— Cam Wilhorn (@CamWilhorn) February 26, 2026

That volatility makes the Badgers a dangerous postseason team, but also a clear contender to disappoint.

Through the ups and downs, though, Wisconsin has established a clear set of requirements for winning games.

Effort, attention to detail must be high

The Badgers' low points have been centered around stagnant offense, lackluster defense and carelessness with the basketball.

Ball movement and off-ball cutting must be more consistent offensively, and they have to avoid live-ball turnovers.

Wisconsin's failures in those departments frequently come in waves, lasting several minutes and resulting in significant swings on the scoreboard.

When the ball is humming and the Badgers are taking care of it, Wisconsin's five-out, ball screen continuation offense looks borderline unstoppable, and it has given some of the nation's best defenses fits.

But when it's not, Wisconsin becomes a shot-chucking team that relies on individual shot creation.

Not sure what's worse: Wisconsin going 14-for-45 on threes (31.1 percent) or 3-for-11 on layups (27.3 percent). #Badgers

— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) February 26, 2026

Defensively, the effort and detail come in switches and rotations. There isn't exactly a defensive stopper on the roster, which puts a major emphasis on team defense.

Jack Janicki, who may miss the rest of the season with a broken wrist, was a player who excelled at covering up the holes of a defense, and his absence was missed Wednesday night.

As was the case against Ohio State, the Badgers bled open looks and allowed some of Oregon's top players to gain confidence early, which snowballed into some tough shot making.

One of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell must be on

The Badgers have a wealth of players who can pass, dribble and shoot. But nobody has stepped up as a playmaker to serve as a reliable tertiary option behind Boyd and Blackwell.

More: Biggest takeaways from Wisconsin Badgers' 85-71 loss to the Oregon Ducks

Andrew Rohde hasn't had the scoring impact many anticipated, instead being a connective piece that does a little bit of everything.

Nolan Winter has had periods of self-creation, but most of his offensive production comes in the flow of the offense.

That puts a heavy burden on Boyd and Blackwell to anchor the offensive attack. When both are bottled up, as they were against the Ducks, there isn't a clear player to turn to.

Wisconsin hasn't been able to find a way to consistently produce offensively when Blackwell or Boyd aren't clicking, and the offense falls into a lull.

While Blackwell dropped 22 points against Oregon, he had minimal impact on the overall offense. He was tentative to probe the painted area and opted for tough looks instead of passing when he did drive.

It's on the shoulders of Boyd and Blackwell not to just produce as scorers, but to find the open shooters after collapsing a defense.

The Badgers' reliance on Boyd and Blackwell is also what makes them so dangerous. In Wisconsin's three top-10 wins, they have combined to average 50 points, eight assists and two turnovers. And it's worth remembering, guard play reigns supreme in March Madness.

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