| MATCHUP | Purdue Boilermakers | Wisconsin Badgers |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 12-1 | 9-4 |
| Where | Kohl Center, Madison, WI | |
| When | Saturday, January 3, 2026 | |
| Time | 08:00 PM EST | |
| TV | FOX | |
The Purdue Boilermakers and the Wisconsin Badgers meet Saturday in college basketball action from Kohl Center in Madison. Here’s a Purdue vs Wisconsin prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Purdue vs Wisconsin pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.
Purdue Boilermakers Betting Preview
The Boilermakers started hot this year, taking out Evansville, Oakland, Alabama, Akron, Memphis, Texas Tech, Eastern Illinois and Rutgers in the first eight. After a loss to Iowa State, the Boilermakers have since beaten Minnesota, Marquette, Auburn and Kent State. That gives Purdue a 12-1 overall record in their first 13 games of the season so far.
In the Kent State game on Monday the Boilermakers exited the locker room with a 51-27 lead. Purdue tacked on another 50 points from there in a 101-60 blowout win. Jack Benter led the team with 20 points and five boards while Fletcher Loyer added 19 points in 23 minutes. Trey Kaufman-Renn doubled up with 15 points and 12 rebounds in 21 minutes during the win as well.
Wisconsin Badgers Betting Preview
Over on the Wisconsin side, they won their first four games this year. Next came a rocky 1-2 run with a win over Providence between losses to BYU and TCU though. Since then it’s been a 4-2 run with losses to Nebraska and Villanova in between wins over Northwestern, Marquette, Central Michigan and Milwaukee. In 13 games Wisconsin has managed a 9-4 overall record so far.
In the Milwaukee matchup on Tuesday the Badgers were up 37-21 at the half. Wisconsin hit a 43-39 run the rest of the way in an 80-60 win. The Badgers got 16 points with three boards from Nicholas Boyd. The only other team player to finish in double-digits was Nolan Winter with 14 points and seven rebounds alongside one assist in 22 minutes of action on the floor.
Purdue Boilermakers @ Wisconsin Badgers Betting Trends: January 3, 2026
Why the Wisconsin Badgers will win
- Wisconsin has won 27 of its last 28 night games at Kohl Center.
Why the Purdue Boilermakers will win
- Purdue has won each of its last 13 games as a top-10 AP-ranked team against a non-AP-ranked team.
- Wisconsin has lost each of its last four games against AP-ranked opponents.
Purdue vs Wisconsin Prediction
I’ll stick with Purdue I suppose. The Boilermakers had little trouble with Kent State this week, shooting a nice 56.3 percent from the floor with 39 rebounds, 25 team assists and just eight turnovers. The 17-of-19 (89.5 percent) from the line was great as well. Purdue has scored 79 or more points in each installment of this current four-game win streak, with 85 or more in three of those outings.
As for Wisconsin, they took care of an overmatched Milwaukee squad in their last outing thanks to 49.1 percent shooting, a 46-34 advantage in the paint and just nine turnovers. The Badgers weren’t great from outside (4-of-22 for 18.2 percent) or the line (20-of-32 for 62.5 percent), however. They’re going to need to be a lot sharper than that in order to compete with Purdue—even at home.