Michigan Basketball Faces Wisconsin in Chicago, Setting Up Big Ten Tournament Semifinal Rematch
CHICAGO — michigan basketball is set for a high-stakes rematch with Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at the United Center, with the winner moving a step closer to cutting down the nets in Chicago. The game is scheduled for noon CT on Saturday, March 14, airing on CBS.
Michigan Basketball Advances After Tight Win Over Ohio State
Top-seeded Michigan reached the semifinal round after a 71-67 quarterfinal victory over No. 8 seed Ohio State. Aday Mara led the Wolverines with 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Elliot Cadeau added 15 points and seven assists.
The Wolverines entered the weekend as the Big Ten regular-season champion and third-ranked team, carrying a 30-2 record into the semifinal matchup. Michigan also arrived in Chicago with a résumé marked by lopsided wins, including 24 victories by double digits and a Big Ten-record seven wins by 40 points or more.
Even so, Michigan has also shown it can navigate close finishes. Under Dusty May, the Wolverines have posted a 19-5 record in games decided by four points or fewer over the last two seasons, including a 6-1 mark this year after the Ohio State result.
Wisconsin’s Overtime Quarterfinal Sets Up Saturday Showdown
Wisconsin, the No. 5 seed, advanced by defeating No. 4 seed Illinois 91-88 in overtime on Friday afternoon at the United Center. John Blackwell and Nick Boyd powered the win with a combined 69 points, including a career-high 38 from Boyd and 31 from Blackwell.
The performance carried historical significance for the program: it marked the third time in school history—and the first time since 1968—that two Wisconsin players scored 30 or more points in the same game. Wisconsin is also 11-0 this season when Blackwell and Boyd each score at least 20 points.
Saturday’s semifinal is scheduled for noon on CBS. Wisconsin also announced fan events in Chicago ahead of the game, including a pregame gathering from 9: 30 to 11: 30 a. m. local time and a team sendoff at 10: 15 a. m. local time.
Rematch Factors: January Upset and Last Year’s Title Game
The semifinal matchup adds another chapter to a rivalry that has already produced key moments in this tournament setting. It is a rematch of the 2025 Big Ten Tournament title game in Indianapolis, when Michigan rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat Wisconsin 59-53. Michigan outscored the Badgers 32-15 over the final 12 minutes of that championship game.
Wisconsin also owns Michigan’s most significant setback of the current season. The Badgers ended Michigan’s 14-0 start with a 91-88 win on Jan. 10 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. That loss marked Michigan’s only regular-season defeat, and Michigan went on to finish 19-1 in Big Ten play to claim its 16th conference title.
In that January win, Wisconsin made 15 three-pointers against Michigan. It was the first time an opponent hit 15 or more threes against the Wolverines in more than nine years, dating back to UCLA on Dec. 10, 2016.
Live game updates from the semifinal noted Wisconsin’s early three-point success and Michigan’s defensive activity. At one point, the game was tied 28-28 at halftime after Michigan scored on its final possession of the first half on a three-pointer from Yaxel Lendeborg. Wisconsin’s Aleksas Bieliauskas led the Badgers with nine points at the break, while Blackwell had seven. Trey McKenney led Michigan with seven points at halftime.
The same updates described Michigan’s frontcourt as struggling offensively during that stretch, while still impacting the game defensively. The Wolverines had five blocks at the time, with Morez Johnson Jr. and Mara each recording two.
With the semifinal set at the United Center, Michigan and Wisconsin enter Saturday with recent tournament history against each other—and with Wisconsin holding the distinction of being the only Big Ten team to beat Michigan this season.
