Illinois Faces Wisconsin in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal

The two teams met earlier this season, with Wisconsin winning in overtime.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 2:35pm

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The fourth-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini will face the fifth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament on Friday in Chicago. The teams previously met on February 10, with Wisconsin rallying for a 92-90 overtime victory. Illinois is coming off a 78-72 win over Maryland to end the regular season, while Wisconsin narrowly escaped Washington 85-82 in the third round. Both teams have talented rosters, with Illinois led by freshman guard Keaton Wagler and Wisconsin relying on the duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the top teams in the Big Ten, with the winner advancing to the semifinals and moving one step closer to an NCAA Tournament bid. Illinois has the talent to make a deep run, but has struggled defensively at times, while Wisconsin has proven it can win close games in March.

The details

Illinois coach Brad Underwood wants his team to have a "carefree mindset" and play with toughness, as they look to avenge their earlier loss to Wisconsin. The Badgers rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat Washington, with Boyd and Blackwell combining for 57 points. Wagler led Illinois with 34 points in the first meeting, but the Illini couldn't hold on. Rebounding could be a key factor, as Illinois ranks 10th nationally in rebounds per game, while Wisconsin is more middle-of-the-pack.

  • The teams met on February 10, with Wisconsin winning 92-90 in overtime.
  • Illinois defeated Maryland 78-72 in their regular season finale on Sunday.
  • Wisconsin narrowly beat Washington 85-82 in the third round of the Big Ten tournament on Thursday.

The players

Keaton Wagler

The freshman guard leads Illinois in scoring at 17.9 points per game and dished out a team-high 4.3 assists.

Nick Boyd

The Wisconsin guard scored 23 points and had 9 assists in the win over Washington, continuing his strong play in big games.

John Blackwell

The Wisconsin forward had a monster game against Washington, scoring 34 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“Together and confidence. My old team, we had a certain confidence and swagger about us. If we compete, March will be special for us.”

— Nick Boyd (Instagram)

“We've got to have a carefree mindset and know that we're a good basketball team but we want to be the toughest, hardest-playing team out there every night. If we do that, we give ourselves a chance.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach (statenews.net)

What’s next

The winner of this quarterfinal matchup will advance to the Big Ten tournament semifinals on Saturday.

The takeaway

This game features two talented teams looking to make a deep run in the Big Ten tournament and secure an NCAA Tournament bid. Illinois has the offensive firepower to win, but must shore up its defense to slow down the Badgers' balanced attack led by Boyd and Blackwell.