Wisconsin Basketball Breaks Into the Associated Press Top-25 Poll

After Wisconsin basketball got off to a disappointing 1-2 start to the regular season, featuring a home loss to No. 9 Tennessee and a road loss to Providence, the Badgers have bounced back in a major way. 

Now winners of five straight, Greg Gard and the Badgers finished last week by taking down Western Illinois on Monday and upsetting No. 3 ranked Marquette at the Kohl Center on Saturday in a game they led wire to wire. 

Because of that, national pundits are finally beginning to take notice. 

Wisconsin Basketball at No. 23 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll

The Associated Press released its updated Top 25 Poll on Monday afternoon, and for the first time this season, the now 6-2 Wisconsin basketball program appeared on the list — checking in at No. 23.

Bucky checks in at No. 23 📈 pic.twitter.com/sTxOSwDd4N

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) December 4, 2023

It’s the first time the Badgers have appeared in the AP Top 25 Poll this season, but the week ahead brings a pair of brutal road matchups. First, Wisconsin travels to East Lansing on Tuesday. Although the Badgers have won each of its last two games on the road against the Spartans, history tells a different story and suggests tempering expectations might be wise.

Then, Wisconsin basketball travels to Tucson on Saturday for a road matchup against the nation’s top-ranked Arizona Wildcats.

Regardless of how the Badgers come out of this week, the demanding non-conference schedule has battle-tested this group and taught many tough early-season lessons they can carry into Big Ten play.

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