Nick Boyd sees traits of a Final Four team in this year's Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers have defeated two Top 10 teams on the road this season, and they're developing a similar identity to a Final Four team Nick Boyd played on.

Feb 10, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) drives the ball past Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers haven't made the Sweet 16 since Greg Gard's first full season as head coach.

Between ill-timed injuries and a global pandemic, the Badgers' have had some misfortune. But they've also had NCAA Tournament opportunities that Wisconsin hasn't capitalized on.

That was part of why landing Nick Boyd in the transfer portal marked a significant win for the program. Boyd played a featured role in Florida Atlantic's Final Four run in 2022-23, and he participated in the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

His wealth of experience could help Wisconsin get over the hump.

As the Badgers have rounded into form over the last month, Boyd is starting to see shades of the magic that FAU possessed in 22-23.

Boyd likens Badgers to Florida Atlantic's Final Four team

After Wisconsin defeated No. 8 Illinois in Champaign on Tuesday night, Boyd was a guest on the Field of 68 podcast.

Joined NOW by @BadgerMBB's Nick Boyd after their big win at Illinois!

After Dark is LIVE ⬇️https://t.co/C1tV1nkwafhttps://t.co/SjMZMDFxqi

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 11, 2026

Between the celebrations of he and his teammates on the team bus, Boyd outlined the growth Wisconsin has had and what makes them so dangerous.

"Throughout this whole 2026, we've been a different team," Boyd said. "Just our focus, our togetherness, and just our trust on the defensive end in terms of making plays and flying around."

Since Jan. 6, the Badgers have won eight of 10 games and went 4-1 on the road, including Tuesday's win over the Fighting Illini and a 91-88 win at Michigan.

Greg Gard on postgame radio: "We played our hearts out tonight."

"We're better than our record, and we're starting to show it." #Badgers

— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) February 11, 2026

The defensive improvements have been glaring. Before Jan. 6, Wisconsin played eight opponents from the Big East, Big Ten or Big 12. In those games, the Badgers allowed an average of 82.4 points.

In the 10 games since, two of which have gone to overtime, Wisconsin is yielding 77.8 points per contest.

The Badgers' upside is still strongly tied to their three-point shooting, but now Wisconsin has a path to victory even when the shots aren't falling.

While that volatility may make fans queasy at times, it's precisely what makes Wisconsin a scary opponent. It's a recipe that helped FAU go on a miraculous NCAA Tournament run a few seasons ago.

"That three ball," Boyd said when asked about what makes Wisconsin a dangerous team. "It kind of reminds me of my FAU team. When we got hot, it didn't matter how we were playing. As we continue to build this chemistry on defense and have each other's back, it really reminds me of my FAU team that stretched the floor out, had guys that could all put it on the floor, and when we got hot, it wasn't about if we were winning. It was about how much we were winning (by)."

Now having defeated two of the top teams in the country on the road, the Badgers are starting to develop the identity of a giant-killer, which is exactly what they'll need to be in order to make the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

Two guards that can go get 25 and a team that can hit 15-20 3’s on any given night.

Wisconsin is March built and dangerous.

— Rapheal Davis (@RaphealDavis3) February 11, 2026

Barring a spectacular winning streak or a complete collapse, Wisconsin is slated to fall in the 7-9 seed range for March Madness. That means, if they defeat a similarly ranked team in the first round of the tournament, they would face a one or two seed in the second round.

According to Boyd, Wisconsin has what it takes to succeed in the postseason.

"As much as we say defense wins games, in that March Madness tournament you got to make some shots and make some plays," Boyd said. "We've got guys who can do that all on the court."

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