Badgers Win Big - Fans Rally for a Heartbeat Victory

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 13: Nick Boyd #2 of the Wisconsin Badgers reacts after making a play during the first half of the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at the United Center on March 13, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. The Wisconsin Badgers won the game 91-88. (Photo by Aaron J.

Thornton/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Wisconsin Badgers are entering the NCAA Tournament as one of the hottest teams in the nation, pulling off victories over the Purdue Boilermakers and the Illinois Fighting Illini in the last two weeks, while riding a five-game winning streak before their loss to the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday. That run got the Badgers back into the AP Top 25 at No. 23, and those two ranked wins, as well as the three-point loss to Michigan gave them some national attention ahead of Selection Sunday, especially with their elite shooting.

Since the start of the season, Wisconsin has been playing behind the eight-ball a bit after a 9-5 start to the season that included a number of rough losses. But, things really took a turn at the start of January with a three-point upset over Michigan, and then really accelerated with wins over Illinois and Michigan State in February. Wisconsin saw quite a bit of turnover this season, especially on the leadership front, with six seniors departing and eight new players coming into the program, which was a school record.

So, naturally, it took a while for this team to start gelling on both sides of the ball, with turnovers and defensive flaws being key problems to start the year. Now, though, the Badgers are as dangerous a team as any in the country, and they have a big chip on their shoulder, with none bigger than Nick Boyd’s. The star guard has wore his emotions on his sleeve all season long, quickly becoming a fan-favorite in Madison.