Wisconsin Badgers
Central Michigan
Five Things to Know: UW vs. Central Michigan
December 20, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Badgers begin four-game homestand
MADISON, Wis. –The Wisconsin men’s basketball team returns to the Kohl Center to take on Central Michigan on Monday.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans unable to make it to Madison can watch live on BTN with Chris Vosters and Brian Butch on the call, or listen on the Badger Radio Network as Matt Lepay and Charlie Wills bring you the action from Madison.
NOLAN'S NIGHT
Nolan Winter enjoyed a career night on Friday at the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown vs. Villanova as the junior scored a career high 23 points in the setback. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native connected on 9-of-11 shots.
Winter, who played a career-high 42 minutes, also hauled in 11 rebounds to nab his sixth double-double of the season. That mark is tied for the most in the Big Ten Conference and good for fourth-most nationally.
THREE’S NOT A CROWD
The Badgers continued their perimeter onslaught Friday, nailing 10-of-23 three-pointers. Winter led that charge by converting on a career-high 4-of-6 deep-balls. On the season, the Badgers are averaging 10.8 made threes per game – good for second in the Big Ten and 32nd nationally. Only eight high-major teams have made more treys per game this season. UW has hit 10-plus threes in seven contests, the fourth-most such games in Division I.
HOME COOKING
The Badgers enter Monday’s contest with a 6-0 record at the Kohl Center and they have won their last 17 non-conference home games. That streak, which started with a victory against Robert Morris on Nov. 17, 2023, is the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten Conference.
John Blackwell has thrived in Madison as he is averaging 22.3 points per game and is shooting .500 (24-48) from three-point land. Nick Boyd is averaging 19.2 points per game in Madison and is shooting .903 (28-31) from the free-throw line.
SCOUTING THE 'CHIPS
UW and CMU will meet for the sixth-time ever on Monday and for the first time since 1986. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 3-2, including a 3-0 advantage in Madison.
CMU comes into the contest at 4-8 on the year with wins over Appalachian State, Coppin State Adrian and Olivet. Senior 7-footer Nathan Claerbaut leads CMU with 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He’s coming off a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double against Olivet last week. Point guard Tamario Adley is Central Michigan’s other double-digit scorer, averaging a well-balanced 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin wraps up the 2025 calendar year next Tuesday with an in-state showdown with Milwaukee at the Kohl Center. Tip is set for 6 p.m. at the Kohl Center for UW’s non-conference finale.
Following UW’s battle with the Panthers, the Badgers will host No. 6 Purdue on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Kohl Center. UW’s first game of 2026 will begin at 7 p.m. The Badgers close out the homestand against UCLA on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m.
