Wisconsin basketball will play a neutral site game against Butler this season at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein.
The game is added to an out-of-conference schedule that has been a challenge for the Badgers in recent years. The 2024-25 slate now includes a home battle with top-ranked Arizona, the Greenbrier Tip-Off, this game against Butler and the annual rivalry matchup with Marquette.
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That is all in addition to a conference slate that now includes contests against USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. Wisconsin’s recent schedules have been among the toughest in the nation (No. 3-toughest in 2023-24). The current direction of the sport and the team’s tendency to schedule top teams could see those schedules become even more difficult.
This new addition to the schedule is another meeting with longtime Ohio State head coach Thad Matta. His Butler program went 18-15 in his second year in charge in 2023-24. He has the program trending in the right direction after years of struggles after the Brad Stevens (2007-2013) and Chris Holtmann (2014-2017) eras.
NEWS: Wisconsin and Butler will meet next season in a neutral site game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, according to a source.https://t.co/adODZiSoRY
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 26, 2024
Wisconsin, meanwhile, reworked its roster this offseason in preparation for the 2024-25 season. It landed three transfers — Central Arkansas guard Camren Hunter, Missouri guard John Tonje and Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos. Greg Gard and his staff did well given the circumstances of A.J. Storr (transfer portal), Chucky Hepburn (transfer portal) and Tyler Wahl (graduation) all departing after the 2023-24 season.
The Badgers roster appears to be in good shape entering what will be a challenging 2024-25 campaign.
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