The Wisconsin basketball team has officially ended the 2025 season after a loss to the BYU Cougars in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Badgers made it out of the first round after previously suffering an upset loss to James Madison last season that left a sour taste in the mouths of many. Wisconsin was able to defeat Montana and advance into the second round of play, but ultimately could not will themselves past the Cougars. BYU entered the tournament as a six-seed, while the Badgers had been a three-seed with the Cougars securing a minor upset.
Wisconsin Basketball Exits NCAA Tournament With Tough Loss to BYU Cougars
Entering the contest against the Cougars, the Wisconsin basketball team was considered to be a two-point favorite over the lesser seeded team.
Wisconsin entered the game with a boost in terms of seeding, but ultimately struggled to shoot the basketball against the Cougars. The Badgers had an unusually off night from the free-throw line, which is something that Wisconsin had typically had under control each game.
BYU went into the break in play with an 11-point lead, but eventually allowed for the Wisconsin basketball team to drop into striking range. Unfortunately, Wisconsin could never pull ahead of the Cougars and hold onto a lead as the Cougars passed the basketball excellently all night.
The Cougars looked excellent on offense and that consisted of the team taking high IQ shots, filling open lanes, and making smart passes. The Badgers simply could not stop the Cougars for an extended period of time, which made it difficult for the squad to pull ahead.
What is Next for the Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Program Following Loss?
With the tournament now behind them, the Wisconsin basketball program will now shift focus towards the transfer portal and the off-season.
Previously, Wisconsin had a rather exciting and busy off-season that led to one of the more enjoyable seasons in terms of the energy of the team. However, Wisconsin will need to produce some of the same fireworks with both NIL and revenue sharing skyrocketing next season.
Program favorites Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, and Carter Gilmore will no longer be anchors within the program like they had been. Fan favorite John Tonje will graduate to the next level and leave a massive hole in the heart of the Wisconsin basketball team that will be very hard to replace.
While the Wisconsin Badgers had plenty of ups and downs this season, it could be quite some time before another team comes together like this squad did in Madison. The 2025 Badgers not only had one of the better seasons in recent program memory, but also displayed an incredible amount of resilience and heart throughout the season.
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