3 quick takeaways from Badgers shocking loss to High Point: Another disappointing tournament finish
The Badgers saw their season end early once again.
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; High Point Panthers guard Chase Johnston (99) rebounds against Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images In a shocking defeat, the No. 5 seed Wisconsin Badgers fell short in an 83-82 loss to the No.
12 High Point Panthers, ending their season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament yet again. It was an ugly finish for the Badgers, who led by eight with seven minutes left and by four with 1:02 remaining. But Wisconsin, which had been the NCAA’s leader in second-half comebacks this season, could not finish the biggest game of their season.
They fell short in the final moments as High Point got a fastbreak layup with 11 seconds left off a Nick Boyd miss to take an 83-82 lead and eventually win. With the loss, Wisconsin will see yet another season go by without a trip to the second weekend, ending what looked like a promising season under head coach Greg Gard. Here are three quick takeaways from Wisconsin’s heartbreaking loss to High Point.
Pace Entering the game, the talk around High Point was fully about the Panthers’ high-pace offense that averaged 90 points per game. But Wisconsin was a team that looked to thrive in transition as well, while being a team that rarely turned the ball over, making for what felt like a good matchup on paper. Well, the pace completely startled the Badgers, who looked unprepared for High Point’s style.