Badger basketball gets back into regular-season action on Monday when Wisconsin opens its 2026-27 campaign against Denver at the Kohl Center at 6:30 p.m. The Badgers come in with some momentum after beating Oklahoma State 82-65 in their final exhibition on Tuesday night, and they also bring a strong recent record in home openers into the new season.
That home-opener trend is one of the reasons Wisconsin will feel good about the way this schedule begins. The Badgers have won 27 of their last 28 home openers, a run that speaks to how steady they have been when starting seasons in Madison. Denver is not a new opponent for Wisconsin, either, with the teams having met on a handful of notable occasions over the years.
A strong platform from the final exhibition
Wisconsin’s 82-65 win over Oklahoma State gave the Badgers a clean ending to the exhibition schedule. It was the kind of result that does not define a season, but it does offer a useful indicator that the group is already handling its work well enough to head into the opener with confidence.
That matters because opening-night games can be awkward, even at home. Rhythm is not always perfect in November, but Wisconsin will at least point to the Oklahoma State result as evidence that the team has its footing before the games begin to count.
Winter’s preseason recognition adds to the build-up
One of the other early-season talking points is Nolan Winter, who on Friday was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Watch List. The senior’s recognition adds to the sense that Wisconsin has individual pieces drawing attention before the first regular-season game is even played.
Winter’s preseason honor comes as the Badgers continue to build around experienced players and a roster that has already shown signs of balance. Preseason acknowledgement does not guarantee anything once the schedule starts, but it does underline that Wisconsin enters the 2026-27 regular season with more than one reason for optimism.
History suggests Wisconsin will be ready
The Badgers’ history against Denver gives the opener a bit of extra context. Wisconsin beat Denver 89-34 on Dec. 14, 1988, and the program has generally been comfortable in these early-season home settings. There is no substitute for actually producing again on Monday, but the recent trend lines are hard to ignore.
Fans will also remember that last season Wisconsin began by beating Campbell 96-64, so this is another opening-night opportunity to set the tone early. For a team trying to establish momentum in the 2026-27 regular season, that first game at the Kohl Center carries the usual importance: get the result, settle into the campaign, and start shaping the bigger picture from night one.
