For the first time in nearly eight months, the University of Wisconsin is set to play a meaningful basketball game.
Seeing its new roster win all three of its exhibition games, Wisconsin opens its 129th season of men's basketball tonight when it hosts Denver at the Kohl Center.
Wisconsin returns seven members of last year's team that won 24 games, including four wins over top-10 opponents, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers also replaced graduated and departed players with eight new contributors, including three projected starters.
Here is a look at both teams and a prediction for tonight's contest.
The eve of the college basketball season is here. Wisconsin will kick off its 2026-27 campaign at home against Denver tomorrow night. How to watch, listen, and stream the game, the betting line, and some things to know. #Badgershttps://t.co/Hw8sSyxwCz
– Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) November 1, 2026
Denver (0-0, 0-0 WAC) vs. Wisconsin (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Date/Time – Monday, November 2, 6 p.m.
Arena – Kohl Center
TV/Stream – Big Ten Network Plus (Spencer Saltz, Mekhi Ackerman, and Caroline McGartland)
Radio – Badgers Radio Network (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch)
Coaches – Greg Gard at Wisconsin (237-128 in his 12th season). Tim Bergstraser at Denver (15-17 in his 2nd season, 90-39 overall)
Series – Wisconsin leads 2-0, including 2-0 in Madison
Point Spread – Wisconsin -22.5
Following an inconsistent 2025-26 season, Wisconsin basketball looks to compete in the Big Ten and nationally with a brand-new roster.
With their season tipping off tonight, here are my five biggest questions surrounding the 2026-27 #Badgershttps://t.co/YV3tOlCnsM
– Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) November 2, 2026
Wisconsin probable starters
Stats from exhibition play
5 Jack Janicki (6-5 Junior Guard, 1.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.7 apg)
6 Victory Onuetu (6-11 Senior Guard, 10.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.5 apg)
15 Owen Foxwell (6-2 Fifth-Year Guard, 16.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 5.0 apg)
31 Nolan Winter (7-0 Senior Center, 12.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.7 apg)
55 Eian Elmer (6-6 Senior Guard, 13.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)
Off the bench
0 Trey Autry (6-4 Senior Guard)
1 Braeden Carrington (6-5 Fifth-Year Guard)
4 Zach Kinziger (6-3 Sophomore Guard)
22 Austin Rapp (6-10 Junior Forward)
23 Will Garlock (7-0 Sophomore Center)
Player to watch
A preseason All-Big Ten honoree and named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason watch list, Winter averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last year, which ranked fourth in the Big Ten.
The wait is over. It's officially gameday!
Badgers Pioneers
6:30 p.m.
Kohl Center
https://t.co/J8C5gsKSjCpic.twitter.com/lgT8UCxgIj– Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) November 2, 2026
Denver probable starters
1 Shaun Wysocki (6-7 Junior Forward)
3 Jordan Rodgers (6-6 Junior Guard)
10 Logan Threatt (6-3, Fifth-Year Guard)
20 Carson Johnson (6-1 Junior Guard)
21 Baba Mbengue (7-1 Senior Center)
Player to watch
Johnson led the Pioneers with 18 games with 20+ points last season, including 10 of the last 13 down the stretch. He tied for 24th in the country in most 20+ point games last season.
: Wisconsin
: Madison, Wis.
: 5:30 p.m. MT
: @BigTenPlus
: https://t.co/1j2JBAZkAP
: https://t.co/ywkg66xRe7#GoPiospic.twitter.com/4veJeLWMWn– Denver Men's Basketball (@DU_MensHoops) November 2, 2026
Series notes
Wisconsin won its two previous meetings against Denver, a 67-48 victory in December 1953 and an 89-34 win in December 1988. In the latter meeting, Danny Jones and Tim Locum each scored 14 points, and UW registered 16 steals, the second most in school history, at the UW Field House.
Denver is in its first season in the West Coast Conference after previously competing in the Summit League. UW is 12-4 against teams currently in the Summit League and 18-13 against teams now in the West Coast Conference.
Denver is 1-34 in its Division I history against programs from the Power 4. The Pioneers lone victory since the 1999-00 season was at home against Oregon State on December 13, 2000.
Denver head coach Tim Bergstraser previously served as an assistant coach at UW River Falls.
Rapp is the only UW player with experience against Denver, as he scored 20 points for Portland in a 101-90 win on Dec. 1, 2024.
Wisconsin notes
The Badgers were predicted to finish 11th out of 18 in the Big Ten preseason media poll. Wisconsin is the only conference team to win 10+ Big Ten games in 22 of the last 25 seasons.
Wisconsin has won its last 10 home-opening games and 27 of the last 28.
UW is 10-0 in home openers under Gard after earning a 96-64 win over Campbell last season. The average margin of victory in those games is 23.6 points.
UW is 9-1 overall in season openers under Gard, only suffering a 65-63 overtime loss against Saint Mary's in South Dakota in 2019.
UW went 3-0 in exhibition play, earning wins over Parkside (94-71), at Green Bay (96-77) and Oklahoma State (82-65).
Denver notes
The Pioneers are picked to finish 10th in the 10-team West Coast Conference preseason coaches' poll.
Denver is 11-17 in season openers since the program turned DI in the 1998-99 season. The Pioneers are 0-11 in Division I season openers that are true away games.
Johnson and Wysocki are the only two returners from last season's roster. Wysocki averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season.
Denver has six players on its 2026-27 roster that have scored 20+ points in an NCAA game in their careers.
Prediction: Wisconsin by 28
Last season's prediction: 24-11 (18-17 ATS)
Today's best reads
- Nolan Winter Lands at No. 87 in National Ranking – That Feels a Little Low
- Wisconsin Badgers senior Nolan Winter adds another preseason honor
- Five questions for the Wisconsin Badgers entering the basketball season
- How to watch, stream and listen to Wisconsin Badgers basketball vs. Denver Pioneers
- Three things to watch in Wisconsin basketball exhibition game against Oklahoma State
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Two remade rosters meet in Wisconsin basketball's 2026-27 season opener.