After an intense scare from Penn State on Tuesday, Michigan will aim to return to form when it hosts Wisconsin on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Michigan had won its previous 10 games by double-digits, including an average margin of victory of 29.7 points in its first three conference games, but needed a miss at the buzzer to survive on the road against Penn State.
Wisconsin has struggled to rise to its opponent’s level this season with four of its five losses coming to teams ranked inside KenPom’s top 25. The Badgers best win came Tuesday at home over UCLA with four players scoring in double-digits.
The Wolverines have won four straight meetings with Wisconsin, including a six-point victory in the Big 10 conference championship last season. Michigan’s four consecutive wins have all come by single digits.
Wisconsin vs. Michigan: When and Where
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wisconsin vs. Michigan: TV and Streaming Info
TV: CBS
Streaming: FuboTV
Wisconsin vs. Michigan: Betting Odds
Spread: Michigan -19.5, Wisconsin +19.5
Moneyline: Michigan -3000, Wisconsin +1200
Total: 163.5
Wisconsin vs. Michigan: Series History
All-time Series: Wisconsin leads 28-18
Last Meeting: Michigan 59, Wisconsin 53 (March 16, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Michigan Wolverines
Yaxel Lendenborg 14.7 PPG
Morez Johnson 13.9 PPG
Aday Mara 10.2 PPG
Elliot Cadeau 9.6 PPG
Nimari Burnett 8.5 PPG
Key Note: Michigan’s 74 points against Penn State was its second-fewest of the season.
Wisconsin Badgers
Nick Boyd 19.5 PPG
John Blackwell 17.4 PPG
Nolan Winter 14.6 PPG
Andrew Rohde 7.1 PPG
Aleksas Bieliauskas 4.0 PPG
Key Note: Boyd has scored 20 or more points in three of Wisconsin’s four conference games.
Game Outlook
In Michigan’s three closest wins it has turned the ball over a combined 51 times. Luckily, Wisconsin turns over opponents at a below average rate. The Badgers do have the size to match Michigan on the inside, where the Wolverines 65.3 percent of two-point attempts.
Wisconsin tailored its offense to attack from deep but have not been efficient, connecting on 32.6 percent of attempts. Boyd has not been able to find his stroke from deep with a 30 percent clip. Still, Wisconsin has an above average offense by taking care of the ball and converting its freebies at the line.
Look for a block party in the paint on whatever side Michigan defends. The Wolverines have the seventh best block rate in the nation, paced by Mara at 2.6 blocks per game. Lendeborg and Johnson each swat one per game too. Wisconsin has had over 11 percent of its attempts rejected this season.
It appears Michigan will get back to its blowout ways, but Wisconsin has a chance to secure a marquee win before a lighter three-game stretch against Minnesota, Rutgers and Penn State.