PHILADELPHIA (July 15, 2026) – Villanova and Wisconsin will once again meet in a crucial non-conference contest during the 2026-27 college basketball season, squaring off Dec. 12 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in the Philly Hoops Showdown.
 
This will mark the second straight year the teams have met in a neutral site event; last December, Villanova defeated Wisconsin in the Milwaukee Hoops Showdown at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
 
Tickets for the event are scheduled to go on sale Oct. 15, with a one-day presale set to take place the day prior. Fans can register to receive dedicated event information and be eligible for ticket presale access by registering online at  xfinitymobilearena.com/events/detail/hoops-showdown. Villanova season-ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase their exact seats at Xfinity Mobile Arena during an exclusive presale window. Information will be sent from the Villanova ticket office.

Intersport, a Chicago-based sports marketing and events agency, will manage all aspects of the event.
 
It will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Wildcats defeating the Badgers in 1995 and 2025 and Wisconsin earning an NCAA Tournament second-round victory over top-seeded Villanova in 2017.
 
Greg Gard is entering his 12th season as the head coach of the Badgers, a program that is one of just five in the nation (Gonzaga, Michigan State, Duke, Kansas) that has appeared in 25 of the last 27 NCAA Tournaments. Last season, Wisconsin finished the year with 24 victories, including 14 Big Ten wins, and ranked No. 25 in the final Associated Press poll. Wisconsin will return a group of key contributors from last season, including big men Nolan Winter and Austin Rapp, while also welcoming incoming transfers Trey Autry and Eian Elmer, who started every game last season for George Washington and Miami (OH), respectfully.
 
Villanova is coming off a 24-win campaign in 2025-26, advancing to its first NCAA Tournament since 2022 in Kevin Willard's first season with the program. The Wildcats finished third in the always competitive Big East, notching 15 victories in league play. Villanova returns a pair of starters in Tyler Perkins, the team's leading scorer last year, and Matt Hodge to this year's roster and welcomes an impressive collection of newcomers that includes Kwame Brown (Oregon), Devin Royal (Ohio State), Elijah Crawford (UIC), Darryl Simmons (St. Bonaventure) and Jake Fiegen (Cornell), all of whom were regular starters a season ago.
 
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.