No. 11 Wisconsin vs. Oregon: Winning Streaks Collide in Big Ten Showdown

Two teams riding winning streaks will battle it out on Saturday night as No. 11 Wisconsin hosts Oregon in a Big Ten matchup in Madison. The Badgers are looking to extend their five-game winning streak, while the Ducks aim to keep rolling after three straight victories.

Both teams have been red-hot offensively, making this an exciting clash between one of the Big Ten’s best teams and an Oregon squad fighting for consistency in conference play.

Wisconsin’s Offense Reaching Historic Heights

The Badgers (21-5, 11-4 Big Ten) have been on fire offensively, scoring 90+ points in back-to-back Big Ten games for the first time since 1992.

Their most recent victory? A dominant 95-74 win over Illinois on Tuesday, which snapped a nine-game losing streak to the Illini.

Wisconsin’s offensive surge has been fueled by:

John Tonje (19.6 PPG) – The Missouri transfer is coming off back-to-back 30-point games, becoming just the fourth player in Wisconsin history to achieve that feat.
John Blackwell (15.2 PPG) & Max Klesmit (10.2 PPG) – Key contributors in Wisconsin’s most explosive offense in decades.
Free-Throw Dominance – The Badgers lead all of NCAA Division I in free-throw percentage (83.4%) and are on pace to break the single-season record set by Villanova in 2022 (83.0%).

Defense Still Matters for Wisconsin

While their offense has been elite, Wisconsin still prides itself on defense. The Badgers are 30-1 dating back to last season when holding opponents to 70 points or fewer.

With Oregon averaging 80 points in wins and struggling when held below that mark, this game could come down to whether Wisconsin can slow down the Ducks’ attack.

Oregon Finding Its Stride After Midseason Slump

The Ducks (19-8, 8-8 Big Ten) have been a streaky team, but they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time.

After a five-game losing streak, Oregon bounced back with three consecutive wins, including a nail-biting 80-78 victory over Iowa on Wednesday.

The win was sealed by Nate Bittle’s clutch defense, as he blocked two shots in the final moments, including a game-saving swat on Iowa’s last-second three-point attempt.

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Key Players for Oregon:

Jackson Shelstad (13.3 PPG) – Oregon’s leading scorer but struggled vs. Iowa (0-for-7 from the field).
Nate Bittle (12.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG) – The Ducks’ most consistent interior presence.
Depth & Balance – Oregon has multiple players averaging double-digit points, making them difficult to defend when they’re clicking.

Oregon coach Dana Altman knows his team needs to clean up mistakes if they want to pull off the road upset.

“Sometimes you just got to find a way,” Altman said after the Iowa win. “We made a lot of mistakes, but we were able to overcome them.”

Head-to-Head & What’s at Stake

This will be the first-ever Big Ten meeting between these two teams. Wisconsin has won three of the last four matchups overall, including a 61-58 win at Oregon in the 2023 NIT.

What This Game Means for Both Teams:

Wisconsin: A win keeps them in the hunt for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Oregon: Another big win could solidify their tournament résumé after some midseason struggles.

Prediction: Can Oregon Slow Down Wisconsin’s Scorching Offense?

Oregon will need to push the tempo and get Shelstad back on track after his rough outing against Iowa. However, Wisconsin’s offensive efficiency and home-court dominance (13-1 at home) make them the favorites.

Expect Tonje to stay hot, and if Wisconsin’s defense holds Oregon below 80 points, they should secure their sixth straight win.

Wisconsin Badgers vs Oregon Ducks Picks and Predictions February 22nd 2025