The Northwestern Wildcats (17-15) and Wisconsin Badgers (23-8) are set to clash in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in what promises to be an intriguing battle.
Northwestern got off to a strong start this season but has struggled with consistency against stiff conference competition. The Wildcats jumped out to a 10-3 record before hitting a rough patch, dropping four of their next five to Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State, and Michigan.
A win over Indiana provided a brief reprieve, but a subsequent 1-6 skid—featuring setbacks against Illinois, Rutgers, Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, and Nebraska—put them in a tough spot. They rebounded with victories over Ohio State, Minnesota, and Iowa, but closed the regular season with losses to UCLA and Maryland, wrapping up at 16-15 through 31 games.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, has been one of the stronger teams in the conference, despite a few bumps along the way. The Badgers stormed out of the gate with an 8-0 start but stumbled with three straight losses to Michigan, Marquette, and Illinois. They quickly regained their footing, securing wins over Butler, Detroit, Iowa, Rutgers, Minnesota, Ohio State, and USC before running into another tough stretch that included losses to UCLA and Maryland, with a win over Nebraska in between.
A dominant five-game winning streak followed, with victories over Northwestern, Indiana, Iowa, Purdue, and Illinois, but they’ve dropped three of their last five, falling to Oregon, Michigan State, and Penn State while picking up wins over Washington and Minnesota. Wisconsin enters the tournament at 23-8 after 31 contests.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Wisconsin Badgers vs. the Northwestern Wildcats NCAA Men's game, plus plenty more.
Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats: Date and tip-off time
The Badgers and the Wildcats will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Date | Thursday, March 13, 2025 |
Tip-off Time | 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT |
Venue | Gainbridge Fieldhouse |
Location | Indianapolis, Indiana |
How to watch Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Badgers and the Wildcats on:
- TV Channel: BTN
- Streaming service: Fubo
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Wisconsin Badgers team news & key performers
Wisconsin also enters the tournament dealing with a key injury. Guard Max Klesmit (6-4, 204) has been sidelined for four straight games due to a lower-body issue and remains questionable. The sharpshooter is averaging 9.7 points per game while hitting 35.3% of his attempts from the field. Meanwhile, John Tonje has been a steady presence for the Badgers, averaging 18.9 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 46% from the floor and 37.8% from three-point range.
The Badgers hold an impressive ranking of 12th overall on KenPom, placing them second in the Big Ten, ahead of Maryland (13th) and Purdue (14th). They boast the 11th-best Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and sit 35th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Offensively, they average 80.8 points per game while shooting 46% from the floor and 35% from three. They are the top free-throw shooting team in the nation, converting at an 83.6% clip. Defensively, they allow 71 points per game while holding opponents to 42.2% shooting overall and 33.5% from deep. Wisconsin also ranks 80th in total rebounding percentage.
Northwestern Wildcats news & key performers
Injuries have plagued the Wildcats down the stretch. Key contributors Brooks Barnhizer (foot) and Jalen Leach (knee) were among the team's top three scorers before going down, forcing others to step up. Forward Nick Martinelli (6-7, 220) has shouldered much of the scoring load in their absence, posting averages of 20.2 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 46.7% from the field and 35.2% from deep.
Statistically, Northwestern ranks 64th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and 44th in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, per KenPom. They struggle on the glass, ranking 208th in total rebounding percentage but excel in ball control, sitting 29th in assist-to-turnover ratio. The Wildcats are putting up 72.7 points per game on 44.2% shooting, including 33.7% from beyond the arc, while surrendering 69.3 points per contest on 43.5% shooting and 33.9% from three.