Wisconsin Basketball Drops in NCAA NET Rankings After Oregon Loss

The Badgers' loss to the Ducks has impacted their tournament seeding outlook.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Wisconsin basketball suffered a Quad 2 loss to the Oregon Ducks on Wednesday night, dropping the Badgers' NCAA NET ranking from No. 32 to No. 34 overall. The defeat essentially eliminated Greg Gard's team from contention for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, though Wisconsin still boasts several impressive Quad 1 wins that will factor into their NCAA Tournament seeding.

Why it matters

Wisconsin's loss to Oregon, a team with a 10-17 record, is a setback in the Badgers' quest for an NCAA Tournament bid. While they have quality wins over top-ranked teams, this Quad 2 defeat could hurt their seeding and potentially their chances of making the Big Dance.

The details

After securing a Quad 1 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Feb. 22, the Badgers added a Quad 2 loss to the Ducks, who sit at No. 15 in the 18-team Big Ten conference. Entering the game on Wednesday in Eugene, Wisconsin sat one game out of position for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The defeat essentially eliminated Greg Gard's group from contention for a top-tier seed in the conference tournament.

  • The loss occurred on Wednesday, February 26, 2026.
  • Wisconsin had secured a Quad 1 win over Iowa on February 22, 2026.

The players

Greg Gard

The head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Wisconsin basketball (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) suffered its sixth conference loss of the 2025-26 campaign on Wednesday night against the Oregon Ducks, who entered the bout with a 10-17 mark.”

— Mike Hall, Author (yahoo.com)

What’s next

Wisconsin will need to focus on securing more Quad 1 wins in the remaining games of the season to improve their NCAA Tournament seeding, as this loss to Oregon has hurt their positioning.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the importance of avoiding bad losses, even against teams with losing records, for teams on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Wisconsin's strong Quad 1 resume will help, but they'll need to finish the season strong to solidify their spot in the Big Dance.