Three things to watch during Wisconsin Badgers basketball’s exhibition opener

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin basketball is once again ready to take center stage.

As preparations continue for next month’s season opener, the Badgers begin their three-game exhibition schedule today against UW-Parkside (12 p.m./BTN+) at the Kohl Center in the 10th annual Garding Against Cancer game.

As is the case in today’s world of college athletics, Wisconsin will debut a new-look 13-man roster that is a mix of experience in the UW program, experience in other programs, and talented international players.

Head coach Greg Gard said earlier this month that he believes the pieces of his team are really good. The question he’ll need to find out over three exhibition games and a relatively light November nonconference schedule is how high their ceiling is.

Here are three things to watch in today’s exhibition opener.

Mar 18, 2026; Dayton, OH, USA; SMU Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) shoots the ball over Miami (OH) RedHawks wing Eian Elmer (0) in the first half during a first four game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at University of Dayton Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A renewed focus on defense

There’s little debate that the inability to consistently defend teams was the weakness of Wisconsin’s 2025-26 roster. The Badgers finished 56th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency and 236th in points allowed. UW gave up 85 points 10 times last season, and Gard admitted that last year’s roster never quite came together on the defensive side of the ball.

Heightening the focus on defensive players in the portal, the Badgers added Eian Elmer from Miami (OH) and Victory Onuetu from Hofstra. Elmer played for a championship program last season in the Redhawks, and was third on the team with 12.7 points per game, but his real strength was being the team’s second-best defensive player with a 1.5 defensive performance rating, per EvanMiya.com. He led the team in rebounding (5.2 per game), delivered 42 steals and 23 blocks.

Onuetu’s addition gives Wisconsin a true rim protector Gard…

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Publish date : 2026-10-10 14:54:00

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