Wisconsin begins another much-anticipated basketball season tomorrow, November 2, against the University of Denver Pioneers. It will be a great chance for fans to get to know this team in an official match that actually counts. We shouldn't be seeing goofy lineups or anything like that until the game is fully in hand. So, buckle up and get ready to begin another Wisconsin basketball season.
This is the full guide for the first game of the season with all the stuff you would need to know before the game tips off tomorrow.
How to watch Wisconsin vs. Denver in Game 1
- Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
- Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
- Venue: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
- How to Watch (TV): BIG+
- Streaming: BIG+
- Wisconsin record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
- Denver record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
The biggest frustration any Wisconsin Badger fan will have is with the TV exposure. It will be a game the Badgers easily win, a game in which there won't be a ton of doubt or frustration on the court. The frustration is that the Big Ten is already trying to rope people into the pay-to-watch BIG+. It's a streaming-only game. There are no other options, and thus, if you want to watch it, you'll have to subscribe.
The first game should always be aired; there are too many Wisconsin fans who either can't or won't afford the extra subscription or are older and can't figure it all out. The Big Ten needs to have opening tips on the TV. Add the BIG+ games for later, or never; I'm fine with that too.
Wisconsin projected starting 5 and 9-man rotation
Wisconsin has been toying around with all sorts of weird starting lineups. Notably, Jack Janicki has been in it throughout the exhibitions. He doesn't typically last long on the court and is the first to be pulled, but it's strange nonetheless. I doubt that will continue for the opening tip. I'm not even convinced he should be in the 9-man rotation.
This should be the starting five, but until Greg Gard announces it, who knows... it's only a projection.
Starting 5:
Owen Foxwell
Braeden Carrington
Eian Elmer
Austin Rapp
Nolan Winter
Next 4 (9-man rotation):
Victory Onuetu
Trey Autry
Hayden Jones
Zach Kinziger
Will Garlock
Once again, that's all just projections, and we will see how Greg Gard actually rolls out this lineup and who he turns to on the bench. He seems to love Janicki, but we've yet to see anything from his game that truly offers an upside over the other players on the bench. It may be purely his hustle and grit that Gard loves.
Wisconsin and Denver series history
Wisconsin and Denver have played each other two other times in their histories. Both went to Wisconsin.
89-34 in 1988
67-48 in 1953
In other words, these two teams haven't seen each other in nearly 40 years. So, it's not some classic rivalry or even an occasional reunion. These two teams don't know each other and are playing simply to get a non-conference game on the schedule.
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