Preview: Washington Faces Wisconsin in Big Ten Tournament

CHICAGO (Interstat) — The No. 22-9 Wisconsin Badgers, riding high after a signature road win, will face a familiar and recently vanquished opponent when they meet the .500 Washington Huskies in the 2026 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday.

The game at the United Center is a quick rematch of a Feb. 28 contest in Seattle, which Wisconsin dominated 90-73. The Badgers enter as the clear favorite, bolstered by their 22-9 record and a resume-building 97-93 victory at then-Purdue on March 7. Washington (16-16) arrives after a taxing 83-79 overtime win over Southern California on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on the backcourt, where two of the conference’s top guards will duel. Washington’s Zoom Diallo is coming off a heroic performance, logging 42 minutes with 22 points and 11 assists in the overtime win over USC. Diallo, who scored 21 against Wisconsin in the first meeting, has averaged 21.3 points over his last three games.

He will be countered by Wisconsin’s John Blackwell, who torched Purdue for 25 points. Blackwell has been a consistent scoring threat, reaching double figures in nine consecutive games and averaging 18.4 points over that stretch. His backcourt mate, Nick Boyd, added 23 points and five assists in the Purdue upset, giving the Badgers a potent offensive tandem.

The Huskies, who joined the Big Ten this season, have shown resilience but inconsistency. Their win over USC was just their third in the last seven games. To pull the upset, they will need a major defensive adjustment after allowing Wisconsin to shoot 54.4% from the field in the late-February loss.

For Wisconsin, the focus is on continuing its momentum toward a high NCAA tournament seed. A strong showing in Chicago is paramount, and avoiding a letdown against a team it handled comfortably just two weeks ago is the first step.

The winner will advance in the Big Ten tournament bracket, with Washington fighting for its postseason life and Wisconsin aiming to solidify its standing as a conference title contender.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m. CDT Thursday.