Wisconsin is desperately seeking its first Quad-1 win after continuing to come up short. In the last game against Quad-1 Nebraska, they lost by 30. It's caused a bit of a crisis for Greg Gard as he's trying to find defense and get the Badgers back on track. Well, they have another chance on Friday as they take on the Villanova Wildcats. It's a "neutral" game and will be a new Quad-1 opportunity for their tournament resume.
As of now, according to Joe Lunardi, the Badgers are the "First Four Out," and this win would go a long way. Here are the details of the upcoming matchup.
How do I watch Wisconsin vs. Villanova?
Who: Villanova Wildcats
When: 7 p.m. CT on Friday, December 19, 2025
Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
TV: FOX
Streaming: fubo TV and Fox Sports app
What is the series history between Wisconsin vs. Villanova?
The Badgers have only ever faced off against the Villanova Wildcats two times. Once in 1995, when Wisconsin lost 66-58, and more recently in 2017, in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers were able to win that one 65-62.
This puts the two teams at a dead-even 1-1 tie in their series history. This game at Fiserv Forum will break the tie for one of the teams.
What are the current prediction/odds for Wisconsin vs. Villanova?
The official Vegas odds won't be released until the day before the matchup, but as of now, ESPN has a prediction model for the game using ESPN Analytics. ESPN currently has the Badgers favored at 52.5%. This is a probability model instead of a prediction, but currently, even though the Wildcats have the higher NET, the Badgers tend to be favored.
The Wildcats are also looking for their first resume-building win. They have only played two Quad-1 teams (BYU and Michigan) and lost them both. They've yet to play either a Quad-2 or 3 opponent. They are 8-0 against Quad-4 teams.