Badgers Add Marque Opponent to Basketball Schedule

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin men’s basketball team announced on Thursday that it will host Tennessee for a non-conference game at the Kohl Center this upcoming season on November 10, 2023.

The matchup is part of a home-and-home series that the Badgers and Volunteers agreed to back in 2019. UW traveled to Knoxville during the 2019-20 season, earning a 68-48 win at Thompson-Boling Arena. Wisconsin was originally scheduled to host Tennessee the following season, but was unable to due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21.

“We’re looking forward to resuming this home-and-home series with Tennessee,” Gard said. “Early-season, marquee matchups like this are something that college basketball needs, and we are always looking to be part of games like this. On top of that, being able to host games like this and bring quality competition to the Kohl Center in front of Badger fans is always a goal.”

This will mark the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs. Tennessee won the first two meetings in 1981 and 2000, but UW has won three-straight games since in the series. This will mark the Volunteers second trip to the Kohl Center, last playing in Madison in 2001, which UW won, 65-62.

Tennessee went 25-11 (11-7 SEC) last season, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Top returners for the Volunteers include two-time first-team All-SEC guard Santiago Vescovi, second-team All-SEC guard Zakai Zeigler, Jonas Aidoo and Jahmai Mashack. The Volunteers are led by head coach Rick Barnes, who holds a 779-406 (.657) all-time record, including a 175-92 (.655) mark at Tennessee.

Wisconsin returns a number of its rotation players, including its entire starting five, from a team that advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals last season in Las Vegas. All-Big Ten honorable mention point guard Chucky Hepburn, All-Big Ten freshman Connor Essegian, fifth-year senior Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit all return after starting last year. Gard, a two-time Big Ten coach of the year, begins his ninth season leading the Badgers in 2023-24.