Wisconsin Badgers
Northern Illinois
Starting Five: Badgers take on NIU
November 05, 2025 | Men's Basketball
UW looks to go 2-0 for fourth time in five seasons
MADISON, Wis. — The No. 24 Wisconsin men’s basketball team takes on Northern Illinois in the second game of their season Monday, Nov. 7, at the Kohl Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are available on UWBadgers.Com.
UW looks to improve to 2-0 for the fourth time in the last five seasons, having won their first two games in 6-of-9 full seasons under head coach Greg Gard.
Fans that can’t make it to Madison can watch on Big Ten Network or listen on the Badger Radio Network as Matt Lepay and Brian Butch have the call.
LAST TIME OUT
The Badgers opened their 2025-26 regular season with a 96-64 victory over Campbell last Monday at the Kohl Center. Junior guard John Blackwell logged a near-career-high 31 points off of 10-of-19 shooting, while forward Nolan Winter notched his fourth-career double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds). The Badgers improved to 10-0 in home openers under Coach Gard, due in part to their second-half defense. Bucky sparked a 31-4 run across the game’s final 10 minutes, not allowing a field goal during that stretch to secure a 32-point victory.
NOTEWORTHY NICK
Graduate student Nick Boyd is no stranger to season debuts, having played in four for two schools prior to his first start with UW. He saved his best for last on Monday, tallying 21 points in the win over Campbell. It’s the most points he’s scored in a season-opener, eclipsing his 13 point outburst against Loyola Chicago to begin the 2023-24 campaign with FAU. The 6-foot-3 guard shot 7-of-15 from the field, while going 6-of-6 from the charity stripe in the second half.
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER HONOR
Shooting guard John Blackwell was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watchlist Presented by AXIA Time on Monday. It’s his third honor of the preseason, accompanying the Jerry West Award Watchlist and the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. He’s one-of-13 Big Ten players on the Naismith Trophy Watchlist, and the first Badger on the Basketball Hall of Fame’s preseason survey. Former All-American John Tonje appeared on the midseason watchlist last year for his efforts. This latest honor comes on the heels of Blackwell being named to the Preseason All-Big Team and to the watch list of the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE
The Badgers and NIU have faced off 14 times, but not since 2002 – with UW winning their last meeting 84-56 to claim the NABC Classic Tournament on Nov. 16, 2002. Freddie Owens and Kirk Penney each had 19 points in the victory, while a freshman Alando Tucker chipped in a then-career high 11 points off the bench. Wisconsin leads the head-to-head series 12-to-2, winning eight contests in Madison and four on neutral ground, primarily during the 1970s and 1980s.
A LOOK AHEAD
The Badgers close the week looking forward to the last two games of their homestand before heading out west. UW will take on Ball State on Tuesday, Nov. 11, as a part of the annual Military Appreciation Game. Wisconsin is 6-2 all-time against the Cardinals, with the first meeting in 1936. They’ll end the home stretch with a Monday, Nov. 17, contest against SIUE.
