MADISON, Wis. - Associated Head Coach Joe Krabbenhoft was adamant that Wisconsin's game plan last season wasn't to sacrifice its defense for a highly efficient offense. It just consistently appeared that way.

Holding only three power-conference teams under 70 points, the Badgers gave up 102.1 points per 100 possessions in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency, the worst since at least 2002.

"It wasn't our identity," Krabbenhoft said. "I don't remember many teams who have played on this floor that have had the highest of success not hang their hat on the defensive end."

History will label the 2025-26 team as unfulfilled. Wisconsin dazzled fans and delivered improbable upsets with hot shooting, setting a program record in three-pointers, averaging 11.7 per game, and ranking third in school history with 83.0 points per game. But the Badgers won no championships or NCAA Tournament games because consistent defensive lapses turned most games into a shootout.

No game highlighted that more than High Point hitting 15 three-pointers and committing only six turnovers in an 83-82 first-round victory of last year's stinging NCAA Tournament loss.

"They sat in that locker room against High Point, and they put up 80," Krabbenhoft said. "We had to get back to our roots a little bit defensively without sacrificing anything on offense. I don't think that should be a thing. It's not like we're going backwards."

Solving that puzzle was the staff’s offseason challenge. They focused on retaining players with strong defensive principles and identified transfer-portal players willing to embrace that mentality.

Therefore, it's no surprise that Wisconsin signed a coach's son in Trey Autry, a versatile defender in Eian Elmer, and a shot blocker in Victory Onuetu, the latter giving Wisconsin a frontcourt rotation with four players listed 6-10 or taller.

That size will help Wisconsin in more areas than the lost post. Not only did they hold Denver to 10 shots around the rim in Monday’s win, but the size also gave the Badgers' perimeter flexibility. The size guarding the paint will give UW's guards the freedom to hedge ball screens and play more physically at the point of attack.

In its exhibition game against power-conference opponent Oklahoma State and the opener against Denver, Wisconsin held opponents to 9-for-43 (20.9 percent) from three.

"We can just be a lot better in honestly every aspect," fifth-year guard Braeden Carrington said. "We are a lot bigger, so we have shot blockers at the rim, which we really didn't have that last year. Our guards are really versatile this year. We can switch one through four if we need to. I think everybody here that got recruited has that fight that we didn't have toward the beginning of the year."

Although matched against a Division-3 opponent, Delaware had an offensive outburst Monday that likely caught the Wisconsin’s attention before tonight’s matchup at the Kohl Center.

Delaware surpassed 50 points in each half, shot 59.2 percent, 46.4 percent from three-point range, and had 28 assists on 42 field goals. The Fightin' Blue Hens saw guard Chucky Bailey III shoot 9-for-11 from the floor, guard DeShawn Harris-Smith threaten a triple-double (10 points, seven rebounds, 11 assists), and guard Alex Kazanecki start 4-for-4 from three-point range.

UW has spent most of the offseason building a defensive identity, with head coach Greg Gard saying last month he sees the roster becoming more aware of how to fix breakdowns when they occur. The one certainty is he has a roster that recognizes continued growth on defense will determine how successful they become.

"We have the pieces to do it," Gard said. "It's just a matter of getting everybody into the synchronization that has to take place. Defensively is just as important as what has to happen offensively."