The Wisconsin Badgers have a pretty strong non-conference schedule already, with teams like the Auburn Tigers, Marquette Golden Eagles, and the Villanova Wildcats. There is now a leak from Rocco Miller of the very first game of the college basketball season. Wisconsin will be taking on the University of Denver Pioneers to kick it all off.
Wisconsin likes to schedule a very winnable first game of the season, as do a lot of programs. Denver is a buy-game opponent, but not one that will roll over and let Wisconsin walk away with a win. The Pioneers are making a big move to the WCC next season and are working at becoming one of the better mid-majors in the sport. The recent hire of Tim Bergstraser adds some intrigue. Let's dig in.
Sources: Wisconsin will open the 2026-27 college basketball season on Monday, November 2nd at the Kohl Center against Denver.
— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) June 11, 2026
Greg Gard versus Tim Bergstraser. #B1G #WCC
Wisconsin will be taking on the Denver Pioneers in the first game of the 2026-2027 season
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First, let's get into the specifics of what Rocco Miller said. The game will be on Monday, November 2nd, at the Kohl Center. None of this is surprising, as November 2nd is the official start date of the college basketball season. It's the first day games can be played, and Wisconsin also started last season on the opening Monday against Campbell. You can probably pencil in a 7 pm start time for this, but it's not confirmed yet.
As for the Pioneers themselves, it's a program that's on the rise. The University of Denver has determined it wants to put resources into basketball and be a mid-major basketball school. The school fired former coach Jeff Wulbrun after a frustrating 11-21 season to hire a fast-rising coach in the sport: Tim Bergstraser. This was to bring winning back to the program, which had a 75-22 record during his first head-coaching job at Minnesota State-Moorhead.
Bergstraser actually served as an assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before becoming the head coach at Minnesota State-Moorhead. So, there's a slight connection here. However, the big news is that Bergstraser, in one season, is already showing signs he's getting Denver headed in the right direction.
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Last year, Bergstraser's first season, the Pioneers finished 12-17, with three quad-3 wins on the resume and a 5-8 finish. Denver was able to pull off upsets over Montana State, Colorado State, and North Dakota State to show some signs of life. Now that Bergstraser has settled in and brought in more of his own type of guys, he's looking to build on last year's "first step," especially now that he's in the WCC.
While Wisconsin should still win the game (it's a buy-game after all), it's a program that can't be taken for granted, and Bergstraser will have a lot he wants to prove. The matchup will also be a really good litmus test for Greg Gard as he figures out his own rebuilt team.
Anticipation is now building for the first game of the season now that it's been leaked.
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