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Struggling Wisconsin looks to start finding its rhythm when it hosts Central Michigan

Wisconsin Badgers begin their second four-game homestand of the season when they host Central Michigan tonight.
Benjamin Worgull|
Dec 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) drives for the basket against Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis (55) in the second half at the Fiserv Forum.
Dec 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) drives for the basket against Villanova Wildcats guard Acaden Lewis (55) in the second half at the Fiserv Forum. | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin men’s basketball will open its second four-game homestand of the year and begin to wrap up its nonconference portion of the schedule when it hosts Central Michigan tonight at the Kohl Center.

Here is a look at both teams and a prediction for tonight's contest.

Central Michigan (4-8, 0-1 MAC) vs. Wisconsin (7-4, 1-1 Big Ten)

Date/Time - Monday, December 22, 7 p.m.
Arena – Kohl Center
TV – Big Ten Network (Chris Vosters and Brian Butch)
Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Charlie Wills)
Coaches - Greg Gard at Wisconsin (220-121 in his 11th season). Andy Bronkema at Central Michigan (First season in Division 1)
Series – Wisconsin leads 3-2
Point Spread – Wisconsin -31.5

Wisconsin probable starters

2 Nick Boyd (6-3 Senior Guard, 20.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.5 apg)
7 Andrew Rohde (6-6 Senior Guard, 7.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.7 apg)
25 John Blackwell (6-4 Junior Guard, 19.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
31 Nolan Winter (6-11 Junior Forward, 13.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.6 apg)
32 Aleksas Bieliauskas (6-10 Freshman Forward, 4.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Off the bench
0 Braeden Carrington (6-5 Senior Guard, 4.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 1.1 apg)
5 Jack Janicki (6-5 Sophomore Guard, 2.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.6 apg)
22 Austin Rapp (6-10 Sophomore Forward, 8.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
23 Will Garlock (7-0 Freshman Center, 0.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 1.5 apg)
Player to watch
Winter ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 9.5 boards per game. Winter is tied for the Big Ten lead with seven double-digit rebounding performances this season

Central Michigan probable starters

3 Jaxson Whitaker (6-4 Sophomore Guard, 6.7 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)
5 Tamario Adley (6-1 Senior Guard, 10.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg)
10 Phat Phat Brooks (6-2 Sophomore Guard, 9.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.7 apg)
21 Nick Mullen (6-10 Senior Forward, 8.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
32 Nathan Claerbaut (7-0 Senior Center, 13.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Off the bench
13 Keenan Garner (6-6 Sophomore Forward, 5.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg)
24 Rodney Johnson Jr. (6-5 Senior Forward, 8.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.0 apg)
33 Logan McIntire (6-5 Senior Guard, 8.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Player to watch
Claerbaut has reached double figure scoring in 10 of 12 games this year. Earlier this season against Olivet, the senior had a career high 31 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. In the game, he went 13-17 from the floor and went 5-6 from the free throw line.

Series notes

Each team has defended their home court, as UW leads the series in Madison, 3-0, while CMU leads the series in Mt. Pleasant, 2-0.

The two teams played five times in the 1980's but haven't met since Dec. 6, 1986 when CMU defeated UW 80-66. Shelton Smith Jr. led the Wisconsin offense with 13 points and was one of five Badgers to score in double-digits in the setback. CMU was led by three-time NBA All-Star Dan Majerle who posted 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Carrington is the lone Badger that has played against CMU. Carrington scored 11 points in his second collegiate game while at Minnesota while leading the Gophers to a 68-60 win.

Wisconsin is 2-0 against the MAC so far this season, defeating NIU 97-72 on Nov.7 before earning an 86-55 win over Ball State on Nov. 11.

Wisconsin and CMU each have a pair of common opponents in Marquette and Northern Illinois. UW earned home wins against both the Golden Eagles and Huskies, while the Chippewas went 0-2 against those two teams.

Wisconsin notes

The Badgers have won their last 17 nonconference home games, which is tied for the second-longest streak in the Big Ten Conference and the sixth-longest streak in school history.

UW have made double-digit triples in seven contests, going 6-1 in such games. The Badgers rank 12th in the country in attempted 3-pointers, averaging 32.0 attempts per game.

Blackwell's 2.9 three-pointers per game rank fifth-best in the conference and would be tied for the school record if the season ended today with Bronson Koenig.

Boyd's 7.3 field goals per game rank third in the league.

Central Michigan notes

With 31 points, the Chippewas were picked to finish 12th out of 13 teams in the MAC preseason coaches poll. The Badgers have already defeated Ball State (No.8) and Northern Illinois (No.13) this season.

Bronkema spent the last 19 overall years and previous 12 years as the head coach at NCAA Division II Ferris State, where he accumulated a 278-105 overall record, 166-73 GLIAC record, and one national championship (2017-18).

Central Michigan has an entirely different 15-player roster in 2025-26. Central Michigan’s 2025-26 roster is made up of 12 transfers and three freshmen. Brooks played against Wisconsin last season while at Michigan.

Through 12 games, the Chippewas have had different leading scorer in six games, while four different players have scored 20 or more points in a game. Five players are averaging 3.0 rebounds per game or more.

Prediction

The Chippewas have two shot blockers in center Nathan Claerbaut and forward Nick Mullen who have blocked a total of 36 shots this season, as well as two starting point guards that complement one another. Adley is a solid ball handler who plays physical, while Brooks is a quick, slasher athlete that was attractive to Big Ten schools. Currently, the duo ranks No. 1 and No. 2 on the squad in assists as Adley has 44 and Brooks has 43.

It's likely not enough to cause an upset, but Central Michigan has traits that have caused problems for Wisconsin's defense through 11 games. The Badgers need to start playing cohesive basketball and have two games to figure it out. Wisconsin resumes Big Ten play hosting N.6 Purdue and UCLA and traveling to No.2 Michigan, all teams in the top 40 of the NCAA NET rankings

Considering how poorly the nonconference schedule went, it is going to be a critical stretch for UW's NCAA Tournament chances, which don't look promising at the moment.

This game won't do anything to enhance UW's resume, but it might serve as a boost of confidence.

Prediction: Wisconsin by 28
Worgull's Prediction: 9-2 (5-6 ATS)
Points off Prediction: 126 (11.5 ppg)

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Benjamin Worgull
BENJAMIN WORGULL

Benjamin Worgull has covered Wisconsin men's basketball since 2004, having previously written for Rivals, USA Today, 247sports, Fox Sports, the Associated Press, the Janesville Gazette, and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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