Wisconsin to Face Villanova at Fiserv Forum On Dec. 19 in Milwaukee Hoops Showdown

MILWAUKEE (July 11, 2025) – Wisconsin will play Villanova in the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown on Dec. 19 at Fiserv Forum in a major neutral site, non-conference match-up.

Game time and broadcast designation will be announced at a later date. Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and events agency, will manage all aspects of the event.

Tickets for the event are scheduled to go on sale Sept. 24. Fans can register to receive dedicated event information and be eligible for ticket presale access, which will take place on Sept. 23, by registering online at www.fiservforum.com/showdown.

It will be the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Wildcats defeating the Badgers in 1995 and Wisconsin earning an NCAA Tournament second-round victory over top-seeded Villanova in 2017.

It will be Wisconsin’s first regular season neutral site game at a traditional basketball venue in Milwaukee since the 1989-90 season, when the Badgers faced Gonzaga at the Bradley Center on Dec. 1. Wisconsin has played numerous regular season games in Milwaukee when visiting both Marquette and UW-Milwaukee in addition to NCAA Tournament contests on three separate occasions in the city. Wisconsin also played a neutral site contest at American Family Field as part of the Brew City Battle against Stanford in 2022.

Wisconsin is led by Greg Gard, who is entering his 11th season as head coach with the program. Gard and the Badgers won 27 games last season, the team’s most since 2016-17, and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Villanova welcomes new head coach Kevin Willard, who has a proven track record of success with Iona, Seton Hall and Maryland. Willard brings 335 career wins with him to Villanova, which won 21 games and advanced to the semifinals of the College Basketball Crown last season.

This will be the first non-conference regular season game for Villanova in Milwaukee since 1984 when the Wildcats competed in NCAA Tournament first and second-round games held on the University of Milwaukee campus.

For more information on the event and to receive email alerts regarding future event news, follow Intersport Basketball on Twitter (X) and Instagram at @IntersportHoops.

About Intersport
Intersport is an award-winning agency that fills the empty space between marketing campaigns and consumers—helping brands make more meaningful connections. Its industry-leading team offers expert insights in content marketing, experiential marketing, hospitality, partnership consulting and platform development. The Chicago-based agency also owns and operates events across the professional and collegiate sports landscape, including basketball, football, golf, pickleball and volleyball. Intersport has been headquartered in Chicago since its inception in 1985 and has an additional office in Detroit. Learn more at www.intersport.global and on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook).

About Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and was selected to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the 2024 Republican National Convention. Fiserv Forum hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2025, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Platinum Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Motorola, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino and Beechwood Sales and Service / Anheuser-Busch. For more information, please visit www.fiservforum.com.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.