The Wisconsin Badgers will seek their first Quad 1 win of the season when they face the 23rd-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln on Wednesday. Tip-off is at 8:00 P.M. CT on the Big Ten Network, with the Badgers favored by 1.5 points.
Wisconsin enters this matchup after a decisive 96-76 win over Marquette in the I-94 rivalry, their largest margin in the series since 1952, and the most points they have ever scored against the Golden Eagles. John Blackwell led the team with his third 30-point game of the season, while Andrew Rohde chipped in a season-high 17 points.
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What should Badger fans know about the Nebraska Cornhuskers?
Opponent Preview
The Huskers have started strong in Fred Hoiberg’s seventh season as head coach. Nebraska is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2018 with a 9-0 record. Last Sunday, the Huskers defeated Creighton 71-50 by starting with a 15-2 run and holding the Blue Jays to 31% from the field. That win extended their winning streak to 13 games dating back to last season.
For Wisconsin to defeat Nebraska, the Badgers must tighten up their three-point defense. The Huskers love to shoot from three, ranking 19th in the nation with 11.1 three-pointers made per game and 15th with 31.9 three-point attempts per game.
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Forward Rienk Mast returns to the starting lineup after missing last season due to knee surgery. He leads Nebraska with 18.1 points per game and a 54.8% field goal percentage, the highest among starters. Mast is effective both in the post and from the three-point line, where he leads the team at 45.2%.
The Husker backcourt includes upperclassmen Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence. Hoiberg leads with 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Lawrence, returning after a year at Rhode Island, averages 3.6 assists and shoots 43.6% from three-point range.
Pryce Sandfort and Berke Büyüktuncel fill the other forward positions. Sandfort, a transfer from Iowa, is the second-leading scorer with 15.8 points per game and leads the team in three-pointers made and attempted. Büyüktuncel leads in rebounding with 6.9 per game and recently recorded 13 rebounds against Creighton.
Score Prediction
Can Wisconsin finally secure a signature win in 2025-26?
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I expect Wisconsin to perform better against Nebraska than it did against BYU. The Badgers are the highest-ranked team the Huskers have faced, according to NET. However, Wisconsin has struggled in its recent visits to Pinnacle Bank Arena. If the game were in Madison, I would favor the Badgers, but in Lincoln, I anticipate Nebraska securing enough stops to earn its first Big Ten win of the season.
Prediction: Nebraska 85-81.
