Wisconsin basketball building a challenging nonconference schedule in 2026

Wisconsin's new-look roster will face at least three high-major schools this upcoming season

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) shoots against the High Point Panthers during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

MADISON, Wis. - At the same time the University of Wisconsin continues to build out its 2026-27 roster, the Badgers are starting to nail down their marquee nonconference games.

Wisconsin announced on Thursday that its annual in-state rivalry against Marquette will take place in its usual time slot, on the first Saturday in December at Fiserv Forum. The tip time was not announced but usually receives an afternoon time slot in a national window.

It will be the 133rd meeting between the two schools separated by less than 80 miles.

UW has won four of the last five match ups overall, including a 96-76 victory last December that was the Badgers' largest margin of victory in the series since 1952.

State pride on the line. pic.twitter.com/iHCGoHxQ97

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 23, 2026

Both teams will have a different look when they meet in just over seven months, as the Badgers are needing to replace four of that game's starters with Marquette needing to replace two following its 12-20 season.

UW has been active in its roster building with the addition of transfer guards Eian Elmer and Trey Aubrey and center Victory Oneutu, as well as 22-year-old international point guard Owen Foxwell. The Badgers also added Mount Horeb (Wis.) guard Josh Manchester to a likely walk-on role Wednesday, leaving two open roster spots.

Related: Wisconsin Basketball May Have Its Starting Five For The 2026-27 Season

After not adding any transfers last season, the Golden Eagles added forward Sananda Fru and guard Nolan Minessale, the latter being a Brookfield, Wis., native that the Badgers reportedly had interest in.

In addition to Marquette, Wisconsin is scheduled to play Villanova in Philadelphia at a time still to be determined and Auburn in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, December 19.

After losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats have had significant roster turnover with losing their top four scorers and multiple reserves.

Auburn responded to missing the NCAA Tournament by winning the NIT, but the Tigers have seen six players from both the frontcourt and the backcourt enter the transfer portal. It's the second significant roster rebuild for second-year coach Steve Pearl, who entered last season with only one returning player.

Wisconsin lost in overtime, 76-66, to Villanova at Fiserv Forum last December. The Badgers haven't played the Tigers since November 2006. Seventh-ranked Wisconsin got a combined 49 points between Kammron Taylor (16), Alando Tucker (15), Jason Bohannon (10), and current assistant coach Joel Krabbenhoft (eight points, eight rebounds and four assists) in a 77-63 victory in the South Padre Island Invitational third-place game.

With the explosion of NIL, college basketball programs have started to move away from the mult-team events for more lucarative one-game neutral-site appearances, especially with the NCAA passing legislation to increase the maximum regular-season college basketball schedule from 31 to 32 games starting this season.

Wisconsin has played in a multi-team event for the last 20 full seasons but has yet to schedule for one this season.

The Badgers have played in four neutral-site games since 2022. In addition to Villanova, UW played Stanford in Milwaukee in 2022, Butler in Indianapolis in 2024, and BYU in Salt Lake City last season.