Did Wisconsin squander its best chance at an NCAA Tournament run?

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard John Blackwell (25) drives to the basket against High Point Panthers guard Chase Johnston (99) 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 The Wisconsin Badgers saw their season come to a crushing halt, as they fell 83-82 in the final seconds against the High Point Panthers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was a wild back-and-forth battle between the two sides in a closely contested game, but Wisconsin was in control heading into the final stretch of the game, leading 70-62 with seven minutes left and even holding a four point lead with 50 seconds left.

Ultimately, High Point found a way with a strong finish from Chase Johnston to pull off the unexpected victory and send the Badgers home packing. Wisconsin led for 33:38 of the game, showcasing the opportunity they had, even as High Point went on some crucial runs and found ways to respond and make things tough on the Badgers. When it came down to it, the Badgers just didn’t execute, while High Point went on a heater at the most opportune time to win the game.

Looking back one day after, did the Badgers squander its best chance at an NCAA Tournament run in the past few years? 2024 Going back to 2023-24, the Badgers made the No. 5 seed and were given No.

12 James Madison as their first-round draw, losing that game 73-61 on a late Friday night in Brooklyn. In that game, Wisconsin drew a very tough matchup for themselves, as they had to guard a unique player with Terrence Edwards Jr. that they didn’t match up well for.