How to watch, stream & listen to Wisconsin Badgers basketball vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

Playing in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals for the 26th time, fifth-seeded Wisconsin faces fourth-seeded Illinois at the United Center this afternoon.

Improving to 12-9 in the conference tournament under head coach Greg Gard, Wisconsin (23-9) looked to have a third-round victory sewn up when it built an 18-point lead over injured-plagued Washington with 13:23 remaining.

However, a combination of Wisconsin letting its foot off the gas and Washington dialing up full-court pressure allowed the Huskies to cut the deficit to one with 1:06 remaining. John Blackwell scored the final two of his UW Big Ten Tournament record 34 points with 49 seconds left, Andrew Rohde scored his only points of the afternoon from the foul line in the final 10 seconds, and Washington's game-tying three was off the left iron, allowing the Badgers to escape with an 85-82 victory over the Huskies.

"Every team slips up a little bit when you get a big lead," said senior Nick Boyd, who finished with 23 points and matched UW's Big Ten Tournament record with nine assists. "You get a little loose. You feel like you have room for error. The good thing is the next couple of games we probably won't have a big lead, so we'll be locked in for 40 minutes."

Final Big Ten Power Rankings: Filling out four of my first-team all-conference picks was easy. The fifth one? Not so much. https://t.co/5QN8GwB25Z
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 9, 2026

Illinois (24-7) is 4-4 since losing at No.10 Michigan State and Wisconsin in a four-day span but still finished the year with the program's most regular-season victories in the last 20 years. Illinois was the Big Ten runner-up at 15-5, tying the second-most conference wins in school history. Head Coach Brad Underwood now owns the top three, and five of the top nine, winningest Big Ten seasons ever at Illinois.

Wisconsin's 92-90 overtime victory at No.8 Illinois on February 10 was one of five double-digit comebacks for the Badgers in 2026, the second most in the country behind California. Illinois was shorthanded that day without all-defensive team guard Kylan Boswell and 13.3 ppg guard Andrej Stojakovic.

The Badgers are unlikely to have junior center Nolan Winter for a third straight game. Wisconsin's leading rebounder, Winter had a team-high 11 rebounds in the first matchup against the Illini.

Illinois is 25-8 in BTT games when it is the higher (better) seed and has won four straight games as the higher seed entering the 2026 tournament. Wisconsin is 4-2 in the last two tournaments as the lower (lesser) seed, which includes a loss to second-seeded Illinois in the 2024 Big Ten Tournament title game in Minneapolis.

John Blackwell and Nick Boyd either set or matched several Wisconsin Big Ten Tournament records in the #Badgers 85-82 win over Washington on Thursday. https://t.co/czA6g4IagA
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 13, 2026

How can I watch Wisconsin vs. Illinois?

Date: Friday, March 13
Start time: approximately 1:30 p.m. central
TV channel: Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering, Don MacLean, Rick Pizzo)

You can stream the Big Ten Network through a live TV streaming service like Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, or YouTube TV, or by using the FOX Sports app with your cable or satellite TV credentials.

How can I listen to Badgers vs. the Illini?

The Badger Radio Network includes numerous stations across Wisconsin, with key stations being WIBA-AM 1310 in Madison and 95.7 BIG FM in Milwaukee. Other affiliates broadcasting Badger sports include WDUZ-AM/FM in Green Bay, WXCE-AM in Amery, and WBEV-FM in Beaver Dam. The game can also be heard on Sirius XM Channel 84 or online on The Varsity Network.

Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Matt Lepay (play-by-play) and former Wisconsin all-conference center Brian Butch (analyst) will call the game.

The quarterfinals are set!

🎟️: https://t.co/VKK1GRfxn9
📝: https://t.co/gRvjK7fu54 pic.twitter.com/6hi2I93HyC
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 13, 2026

What are the recreational betting odds?

Odds according to BetMGM as of March 13

Odds: Illinois by 7.5
Over/under: 155.5
Moneyline: Wisconsin (+240), Illinois (-300)
Wisconsin's record against the spread: 18-14
Wisconsin's ATS record in conference games: 13-8
Wisconsin's ATS record at a neutral site: 1-4
Wisconsin's ATS record as the underdog: 5-3

Series info on this afternoon's opponent

All-time, regular season: Illinois leads 114-89
All-time, postseason: Illinois leads 4-3
All-time, in Big Ten Tournament: Illinois leads 4-3
Streaks: Wisconsin has won 2
Last meeting, regular season: February 10, 2026, Champaign, Ill., Wisconsin won, 92-90, in overtime

Badgers Big Ten Schedule

All times Central

Dec. 2: vs. Northwestern, W 85-73
Dec.9: at Nebraska, L 60-90

Jan.3: vs. No.5 Purdue, L 73-89
Jan.6: vs. UCLA, W 80-72
Jan.10: at No. 2 Michigan, W 91-88
Jan.13: at Minnesota, W 78-75
Jan.17: Rutgers, W 96-87
Jan.22: at Penn State, W 98-71
Jan.25: USC, L 71-73
Jan.28: Minnesota, W 67-63
Jan.31: Ohio State, W 92-82

Feb.7: at Indiana, L 77-78 OT
Feb.10: at No.8 Illinois, W 92-90 OT
Feb.13: No.10 Michigan State, W 92-71
Feb.17: at Ohio State, L 69-86
Feb.22: Iowa, W 84-71
Feb.25: at Oregon, L 71-85
Feb. 28: at Washington, W 90-73

March 4: Maryland, W 78-45
March 7: at No. 15 Purdue, W 97-93
March 12: vs. 12th-seed Washington, W 85-82