Wisconsin basketball announces exhibition contest vs an SEC team to tip off 2025-26 season
Wisconsin basketball announces exhibition contest vs an SEC team to tip off 2025-26 season
The Wisconsin basketball program announced a newly scheduled exhibition contest against the Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday. The contest will be played on Oct. 24 at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum.
Staged in the home of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, the Badgers will square off against the Sooners prior to the beginning of the 2025-26 regular season.
"This is a great opportunity for our program to take on a Power Four team in our backyard in an exhibition setting," Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said to UWBadgers.com. "It will be a terrific first test for us in late October. We know we have a lot of Badger fans and alums in Milwaukee and we're excited for them to get an early look at our team."
The news arrives a day after Wisconsin announced a November non-conference contest against potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick A.J. Dybantsa and the BYU Cougars at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Aside from a future NCAA Tournament appearance, the Badgers are now set to play in a pair of NBA arenas this fall.
Coached by Porter Moser, the Sooners went 20-14 during the 2024-25 season. They secured a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament. With star freshman and future NBA draftee Jeremiah Fears at the helm, Oklahoma fell 67-59 to defending champion UConn in the tournament's first round.
The test against the Sooners will allow Wisconsin fans to witness a first glimpse at a revamped roster for the 2025-26 season. With star wing John Tonje, veteran center Steven Crowl, guard Max Klesmit and bench contributors Carter Gilmore and Kamari McGee all gone to graduation, Greg Gard retooled his platoon through the transfer portal.
Former San Diego State guard Nick Boyd, Virginia wing Andrew Rhode and Portland forward Austin Rapp will likely replace Tonje, Crowl and Klesmit in the starting lineup this fall. Star sophomore guard John Blackwell, who shared his plans to return to Madison for his junior campaign on Wednesday, will also lead the starting five with rising junior forward Nolan Winter.
Fans may also get a feel for how Gard utilizes projected bench contributors Braeden Carrington, Aleksas Bieliauskas, Jack Robison, Zach Kinziger, Hayden Jones and Will Garlock in rotations. The Badgers only went seven or eight players deep in critical games last season, so the dispersion of minutes on the bench will be something to monitor against the Sooners.
Still in search of its first NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance in nearly a decade, UW will aim to replicate its final 27-10 record from a season ago. The quest officially commences with an exhibition test against the Sooners in Fiserv Forum.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Michael Cooper believes Magic Johnson deserved the Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1985 Finals: "I'm sure he wanted those"
Michael Cooper believes Magic Johnson deserved the Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1985 Finals: "I'm sure he wanted those" originally appeared on Basketball Network. In the NBA, the spotlight doesn't always land on the team's certified No. 1 option when it comes to their biggest triumphs. Advertisement A perfect example of this could be seen in the Boston Celtics' 2024 title victory, where Jaylen Brown was awarded the Finals MVP over Jayson Tatum. Similarly, in the 2025 Eastern Conference finals, it was Pascal Siakam who walked away with the MVP honor over Tyrese Haliburton. For Michael Cooper, such scenarios bring back memories of his own experience with the Los Angeles Lakers, especially during the 1985 NBA Finals. As, according to the former Defensive Player of the Year, it was Magic Johnson who truly carried the team on and off the court, but it was eventually Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who walked away with the Finals MVP honor. Cooper explained why Magic deserved the '85 Finals MVP award over Kareem A 37-year-old "Cap" was statistically the Lakers' best player during the 1985 NBA Finals when they beat their arch-rivals Boston Celtics, averaging a team-high 25.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists over six games. However, for Coop, Johnson's leadership was the ultimate x-factor for the Showtime Lakers. Advertisement Speaking on his podcast, the 69-year-old former shooting guard recalled how while Kareem might be prejudged as the team's anchor in terms of production, it was Magic who orchestrated the offense and encouraged all the players to find their rhythm, especially after dropping the series opener by 34 points. Moreover, Cooper understood that given that Abdul-Jabbar was in the last leg of his career, the emotional sentiment motivated everyone to crown him the Finals MVP, which made everyone conveniently overlook the fact that the team's point guard had averaged 18.3 points and a staggering 14.0 assists while playing the most minutes for the team in that series. "Magic was very pivotal in the room and for the entire series because he was the one that was firing us up, getting us ready to go. Kareem was a player that you didn't have to talk to much in the locker room. He was reading a newspaper or (was) in his own world," Cooper recalled the behind-the-scenes talks. "Magic was never about individual accolades, although I'm pretty sure he wanted those. We all do, but Magic was about the bottom line, 'How many championships?'... What you don't know is Magic was always in Kareem's ears and fed him the ball constantly," Cooper concluded. Advertisement Related: "He said, 'You the guy that broke all my records in high school, right?" - Shawn Kemp on the time Larry Bird told him exactly what he was going to do before scoring 40 points Magic made sure to bring out the best in Kareem When looking back on Kareem's illustrious resume, which contains six championships and six MVPs, it's impressive how he attained individual as well as team success so thoroughly. There's no denying that his dominance redefined the center position and earned him well-deserved accolades. But as Mike pointed out, without Magic's unselfish play and leadership, some of those titles might not have materialized. In 1980, for example, a young Magic stepped up when Kareem was injured. In the 1982 playoffs, Kareem averaged just 20.4 points, but it was Johnson again who fueled the Lakers' title run. Advertisement Even in 1987 and 1988, during Kareem's final championship runs, he averaged just 16.6 points across those two postseasons, while Magic continued to steer the ship and helped him add more silverware to his resume. Safe to say, had it not been for Magic, who knows, without those Larry O'Brien trophies, many would have found flaws in Abdud-Jabbar's legacy as well. Thankfully, Abdul-Jabbar had a teammate from Michigan who did everything to enrich his name in the basketball lore, and Coop recognized it fully. Related: "It was easy, beautiful basketball" - The moment Spencer Haywood realized what a genius Magic Johnson was This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders' Son Says Fathers' Return to Boulder Uncertain in Surprise Update
Deion Sanders' Son Says Fathers' Return to Boulder Uncertain in Surprise Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Colorado Buffaloes may be charging toward the 2025 season, but their head coach, Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders, is far from the spotlight, and that absence is raising concern. Advertisement Sanders, 57, has been holed up at his estate in Canton, Texas, quietly grappling with an undisclosed health issue that has sidelined him from team activities and a prominent speaking engagement. While speculation swirls, his eldest son, Deion Sanders Jr., offered a rare update from their home, aiming to reassure fans, but leaving the timeline for his father's return open-ended. 'He'll tell y'all soon enough what he going through, what he went through,' Sanders Jr. said on a YouTube livestream on June 8. 'When we get back in Boulder, I don't know. I'm waiting until my dad leaves. When he leaves, then I'll go.' Coach Prime's absence was particularly notable at Colorado's annual summer football camps, an event he attended in both 2023 and 2024. His involvement is not only expected by fans but contractually outlined by the university. Yet this year, his presence has only been felt in marketing materials, not on the field. More fuel was added to the fire when Sanders abruptly canceled a high-profile keynote appearance at The Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research symposium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 8. NBA Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson was brought in last-minute to replace him. The official reason given: an 'unavoidable last-minute scheduling change.' But with Sanders' known health history, including multiple surgeries due to blood clots and the amputation of two toes, the cancellation has fans fearing something more serious. Advertisement Sanders hinted at the severity during a rare public appearance on Asante Samuel's podcast, Say What Needs to Be Said. 'I lost about 14 pounds,' he said. 'I'm coming back, but I needed this… What I'm dealing with right now is at whole other level.' Despite the weight loss and his disappearance from the public eye, those close to Sanders insist he's on the mend. CU athletic trainer Lauren Askevold, who's been by his side through previous complications, is reportedly with him in Texas. And his son insists he's 'feeling well.' Deion Sanders and his son Deion Sanders Sanders Jr./Well Off Media But until Coach Prime reappears on the sidelines in Boulder, fans are left with questions, and growing concern. Advertisement The Buffaloes are set to open their 2025 season against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29, with national expectations riding high following Sanders' five-year, $54 million extension. Now the biggest question isn't about quarterback battles or recruiting classes, it's about whether Coach Prime will be physically ready to lead. Related: Tony Grossi Has Words for Shedeur Sanders Hype: 'He's a Developmental QB' Related: Jordan Domineck Joins Athlon Sports as College Football Reporter This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Chourio, Bauers hit home runs to lead Brewers past Braves 4-1
MILWAUKEE — Jackson Chourio and Jake Bauers hit home runs, Quinn Priester struck out seven in six strong innings and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Tuesday night. Chourio put the Brewers on the board with a 409-foot, two-run homer in the third off Grant Holmes (3-5). The Braves got a run in the fifth on Ronald Acuña Jr.'s single, his third consecutive hit of the game.
