It was a night that Penn State basketball fans hoped would mark a turning point, but instead, the Nittany Lions suffered yet another blow as Wisconsin stormed into Rec Hall and left with a resounding 98-71 victory. On January 22, 2026, the historic gymnasium in University Park, Pennsylvania, hosted a Big Ten clash that quickly turned into a showcase for the visiting Badgers, who extended their winning streak to five games and solidified their position near the top of the conference.
Heading into Thursday’s matchup, Penn State was desperate for a spark. The team had dropped five consecutive games and lost eight of their last nine. The hope was that a return to the more intimate Rec Hall—site of previous upsets and home to a raucous crowd—could breathe life into a struggling squad. But as the second half wore on, the stands thinned out and hope faded fast. The Nittany Lions now sit at 9-10 overall and 0-8 in Big Ten play, while Wisconsin improved to 14-5 and 6-2 in the conference.
Early on, things looked promising for the Nittany Lions. Freshman Kayden Mingo got them on the board first with a slick drive and jumper, giving Penn State a quick 4-0 lead. The energy in Rec Hall was palpable as the home side traded baskets with the Badgers. At the first media timeout, Penn State trailed by just a point, 12-11, with Josh Reed already tallying five points. For a brief moment, it seemed like the hosts might turn the page on their recent woes.
But then Wisconsin found another gear. John Blackwell’s three-pointer at 15:59 put the Badgers ahead, and from there, the visitors never looked back. Wisconsin’s transition game and pace started to wear down Penn State, with the Badgers shooting a crisp 47% from the field midway through the first half. By the nine-minute mark, Wisconsin had stretched its lead to 23-13, capitalizing on Penn State turnovers and dominating the glass.
“We just couldn’t find a rhythm, especially in that first half,” Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades said after the game. “Wisconsin played faster, they pushed the tempo, and we didn’t have an answer for it.”
The game’s turning point came during a devastating 16-2 Wisconsin run in the first half. Five different Badgers scored during this stretch, with Braeden Carrington pouring in six points and Andrew Rohde converting a three-point play. By the time Rhoades called timeout with 8:44 left in the half, Wisconsin led 25-13 and the Nittany Lions were reeling. The Badgers continued to pour it on, going on separate 13-0 and 14-0 runs as Penn State endured scoring droughts of over three minutes each.
By halftime, the score was a lopsided 50-22 in favor of Wisconsin. Carrington led all scorers with 17 points at the break, while Blackwell had 13. Josh Reed paced Penn State with nine points, but the team shot just 23% from the field in the first half—an anemic mark that made a comeback all but impossible.
The second half brought more of the same. Wisconsin’s balanced attack continued to shine, with the Badgers extending their lead to 60-30 by the under-16 media timeout. Nolan Winter, who finished with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds, asserted himself in the paint. Nick Boyd (11 points) and Austin Rapp (10 points off the bench) also reached double figures, showcasing Wisconsin’s depth and unselfish play. The Badgers finished with 25 assists on 36 made field goals and outscored Penn State 42-18 in the paint.
Penn State’s offense did show modest improvement after the break, outscoring Wisconsin 49-48 in the second half, but the deficit was simply too large to overcome. Josh Reed led the way for the Nittany Lions, finishing with 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting—including a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc—and six rebounds. Freddie Dilione, still nursing an ankle injury suffered at Maryland just days earlier, gutted out 17 points. Mason Blackwood made a late push to tally 14 points, while Ivan Juric pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to go with five points.
“I’m proud of the way we kept fighting in the second half, but we can’t keep digging ourselves into these holes,” Reed said in the postgame scrum. “We’ve got to come out with more intensity and execute better from the jump.”
Statistically, the numbers told the story. Wisconsin shot a blistering 50.7% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, compared to Penn State’s 35.9% and 29.6%, respectively. The Badgers’ bench outscored Penn State’s reserves 30-18, and they dominated the boards, outrebounding the hosts 33-20 at one point in the second half. Wisconsin also racked up 38 points in the paint to Penn State’s paltry 12 with six minutes remaining.
Coach Greg Gard of Wisconsin was able to empty his bench midway through the second half, giving valuable minutes to his reserves as the Badgers’ lead ballooned to as many as 37 points. “I thought our guys did a great job sharing the ball and staying aggressive,” Gard noted after the win. “We got contributions from everyone, and that’s what you want in a tough road environment.”
Penn State, meanwhile, continued to struggle with injuries and depth. Tibor Mirtic missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury, and promising freshman Reggie Grodin remains out for the season. The starting five of Mingo, Stewart, Rice, Reed, and Juric was shuffled throughout the night as Rhoades searched for a spark, but to little avail.
As the final buzzer sounded and the scoreboard read 98-71, the Nittany Lions were left searching for answers. The defeat marked their fourth loss by at least 23 points this season and was their second-worst in Big Ten play—trailing only a 41-point drubbing at Indiana in December. The loss also extended Penn State’s winless streak against high-major competition and left the team still searching for its first conference victory.
Looking ahead, Penn State will try to regroup as they travel to Columbus to face Ohio State on January 26. The Buckeyes, currently 13-5 overall and 5-3 in the Big Ten, present yet another formidable challenge. With the season at a crossroads, the Nittany Lions must find a way to halt their downward spiral and recapture the energy that once made Rec Hall a house of upsets.
For Wisconsin, the victory caps a dominant road performance and keeps them firmly in the Big Ten title hunt. With balanced scoring, depth, and a five-game winning streak, the Badgers look every bit the contender as the season heats up. As for Penn State, the search for answers—and that elusive first conference win—continues.