The Wisconsin Badgers‘ basketball teams are both at important points in the calendar for two much different reasons.
Wisconsin women’s basketball is headed to the WBIT semifinals in Wichita, Kansas, where the Badgers will face Columbia on March 30. If UW wins, it will play the winner of BYU and Kansas with a WBIT title on the line. It is the Badgers’ first postseason semifinal appearance since 2007 and a clear sign of progress in the first year of the Robin Pingeton era.
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Wisconsin men’s basketball, meanwhile, is in the ever-important roster reconstruction season after another frustratingly early exit in the NCAA Tournament. (The Badgers were the only one of the 20 teams seeded No. 5 or better to lose in the first round of the tournament.) Jack Robison was the first UW player to announce his plans to depart, and the Badgers may be an attractive landing spot for transfers after recent success stories such as Nick Boyd in 2025-26 and John Tonje in 2024-25.
What have you thought about the men’s and women’s basketball teams’ 2025-26 seasons? What are you wondering about ahead of the transfer portal cycle that officially begins on the men’s side on April 7? Ask the Journal Sentinel’s John Steppe, and he’ll answer as many of them as possible later in the week.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: Wisconsin Badgers Spirit Squad perform before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: Head coach Greg Gard of the Wisconsin Badgers walks on court before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers band performs prior to a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: High Point Panthers fans are seen before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers cheerleadrs perform prior to a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the High Point Panthers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans in the stands prior to a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers warm up before taking on the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: The High Point Panthers Athletic Band perform before the game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 19: The Wisconsin Badgers Marching Band performs before the game against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
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Wisconsin vs High Point in March Madness 2026, first round highlights
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers fans cheer prior to a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament against the Wisconsin Badgers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Got a question about Wisconsin men’s, women’s basketball? Send it here