CBB Matchups

Every D1 game with tempo-free ratings, four factors and market lines, one place.

College basketball is being built for the 2026-27 season (tip-off Nov 3). What's here fills in as games are played.
Non-conferenceKohl Center, Madison, WI
Denver
Efficiency #243
2025-26: 15-17 · 8-9 conf
@
Wisconsin
Efficiency #28
2025-26: 24-11 · 16-7 conf
Mon, Nov 2 · TBD
74.3
win 9%
Projected
89.8
win 91%
No line posted yet.
Model: WIS −15.5 · total 164.1 · ratings as of Sat, Oct 3
Preseason ratings start from 2025-26's final adjusted ratings, regressed toward the D1 average. The stats below are 2025-26's too; both update once 2026-27 games are played.

How the projection is built

each step, from an average D-I game to this one
Projected total
Average D-I game
148.2
PaceAdjusted tempo: Wisconsin 69.2, Denver 68.8 → 69.6 possessions
+2.9
Wisconsin offense vs Denver defense
+12.3
Denver offense vs Wisconsin defense
+0.7
Projected total
164.1
Axis starts at 140 pointsPoints added or removed at each step
Projected margin
Even game
0.0
Wisconsin offense vs Denver defense
+12.3
Denver offense vs Wisconsin defense
−0.7
Home court+2.9 points per 100 possessions to the home offense, −2.9 to the visitors
+4.0
Wisconsin by 15.5
15.5
Denver side ◂▸ Wisconsin side

Steps are rounded to one decimal, so they can differ from the total by 0.1: the margin steps add to +15.6 against +15.5. The margin is the same build seen from the home side; positive numbers help Wisconsin.

Pace & total

possessions per 40 minutes
Tempo, possessions per 40 minutes

Projected possessions: 69.6, from each team's opponent-adjusted tempo. On raw 2025-26 season pace, Denver is the faster team (69.4, #118 of 365) and Wisconsin the slower (69.0, #151). When tempos clash, the slower team usually pulls the pace harder (study weights 0.80 vs 0.66).

Projected possessions
69.6
per team, 40 min
Projected total
164.1
model
Projected team totals
74.3 / 89.8
Denver / Wisconsin
Adjusted tempo, vs an average opponent
68.8#138
Denver
69.2#107
Wisconsin

How this game plays

what the study found each side's numbers actually do when these two teams meet
AdvantageWisconsin
Where Wisconsin scores: shooting
Wisconsin shoots an effective 54.5% (#52); Denver allows 56.0% (#344). Expect about 55.6%, 4.3 points above an average D1 matchup — worth roughly +6.1 points per 100 possessions.
TurnoversWisconsin
Wisconsin protects the ball
Projected turnover rate of 12.1% is worth roughly +5.7 points per 100 possessions for Wisconsin's offense.
AdvantageDenver
Where Denver scores: ball control
Denver turns it over on 14.3% of possessions (#30); Wisconsin forces turnovers on 14.3% of opponent possessions (#328). Expect about 13.7%, 3.0 points below an average D1 matchup — worth roughly +3.7 points per 100 possessions.
Watch for noise
3-point caution
A notable season 3-point number here (Wisconsin, Denver, Denver's defense) is close to a coin flip going forward — the study's model of next-game 3P% barely beats guessing the D1 average. Shot volume is what actually carries: expect Denver at about 39.6% of its shots from three, Wisconsin about 48.0%.
ClashWisconsin
Style clash: ball movement
Wisconsin assists on 57.3% of its made baskets; Denver breaks up passing offenses (assists on 42.4% allowed) (D1 average 52.4%). Expect about 49.1% — the offense's habit usually carries a bit more weight (0.65 vs 0.65).
ClashWisconsin
Style clash: paint scoring
Wisconsin gets only 36.2% of its points in the paint; Denver gives up 47.4% of opponents' points in the paint (D1 average 42.8%). Expect about 42.7% — the offense's habit usually carries a bit more weight (0.25 vs 0.34).
Denver has the ball
OffenseWisconsin allowsvs D1 avg
53.6% #79
51.4% #178
+2.0 pt/100
14.3% #30
14.3% #328
+3.7 pt/100
29.8% #213
28.2% #74
-0.9 pt/100
34.1% #203
29.8% #56
-0.4 pt/100
77.1% #31
—
+0.4 pt/100
Denver net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: +4.8 pts/100
Wisconsin has the ball
OffenseDenver allowsvs D1 avg
54.5% #52
56.0% #344
+6.1 pt/100
12.8% #4
13.0% #356
+5.7 pt/100
29.1% #232
32.8% #291
+0.2 pt/100
31.5% #267
36.8% #231
-0.1 pt/100
78.8% #6
—
+0.6 pt/100
Wisconsin net across the four factors + FT%, vs. a D1-average matchup: +12.5 pts/100

Shot diet

Where each offense shoots from and where each defense lets teams shoot · 2025-26 numbers
Denveroffense vsWisconsindefense
Share of shots by zone
Denver shoots
Wisconsin allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim57.7%#20758.9%#18758.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)43.7%#8747.1%#33339.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)45.1%#1441.4%#28638.0%
Three36.8%#3233.4%#15133.7%
Wisconsinoffense vsDenverdefense
Share of shots by zone
Wisconsin shoots
Denver allows
D-I average
FG% by zone
ZoneD-I avg
Rim60.8%#9962.9%#32458.6%
Short 2 (≤9 ft)47.7%#2741.4%#22039.5%
Mid 2 (10 ft+)39.6%#12642.6%#31938.0%
Three36.2%#5036.7%#33833.7%
RimShort 2 (≤9 ft)Mid 2 (10 ft+)Three

Zones from play-by-play shot descriptions; garbage time removed. Bars show the share of field-goal attempts in each zone; where a slice is too thin for its number, the shares are listed under the bar. FG% ranks: #1 = best for that side (most accurate shooting, stingiest defense).

Shot volume

Extra scoring chances from rebounds, turnovers and the foul line · 2025-26 numbers
Denver
−2.4extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#279 of 365
Off reb %
29.8%
#213
Def reb %
67.2%
#291
Turnover %
14.3%
#30
Forced TO %
13.0%
#356
FT rate
34.1%
#203
FT allowed
36.8%
#231
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−0.2
Defensive rebounding−0.7
Ball security+1.7
Forcing turnovers−2.5
Foul shots drawn−0.2
Foul shots allowed−0.4
Wisconsin
+1.9extra scoring chances per game vs a D-I average team#108 of 365
Off reb %
29.1%
#232
Def reb %
71.8%
#74
Turnover %
12.8%
#4
Forced TO %
14.3%
#328
FT rate
31.5%
#267
FT allowed
29.8%
#56
Where the chances come from (per game)
Offensive rebounding−0.4
Defensive rebounding+0.8
Ball security+2.7
Forcing turnovers−1.7
Foul shots drawn−0.9
Foul shots allowed+1.4

Wisconsin has more extra scoring chances per game: +1.9 (#108 of 365) to Denver’s −2.4 (#279).

Grade = extra shots and foul-line trips per game compared with a D-I average team, built from six season rates. Cell shading is the national rank for each rate (greener = better for that team).

Rotation

Denver2025-26 numbers
ESPN hasn't posted Denver's 2026-27 roster yet — these are last season's players.
#PlayerPosClHtGP-GSMPGPPGRPGAPGTOVeFG%3P%3PA/gFT%UsageStatus
20Carson JohnsonGSo6'1"32-3235.620.11.83.01.355.3%41.4%6.688.2%29.0%
0Jeremiah BurkeFSr6'7"32-3232.014.65.61.52.054.4%39.0%5.877.4%26.8%
5Logan KinseyFSr6'6"32-3229.311.44.01.00.958.5%31.1%1.478.4%19.8%
32Gabe OldhamFJr6'8"32-2725.65.67.41.10.870.3%—0.047.8%11.3%
7Zane NelsonGSr6'4"30-2024.713.33.62.51.652.7%42.0%4.677.8%30.9%
8Julius RollinsGSr6'7"29-920.58.03.21.31.248.9%34.9%2.979.7%23.5%
1Shaun WysockiFSo6'7"30-519.67.53.30.80.863.4%31.4%1.272.5%19.3%
13Josh LeeGSr6'3"24-310.83.31.50.70.646.7%33.3%1.378.6%19.2%
21Didier MalengFJr6'9"27-07.51.71.60.10.244.1%0.0%0.265.2%14.4%
4Corleone DandridgeGFr6'5"12-06.91.31.50.10.441.2%0.0%0.750.0%15.2%
30Loch CunninghamFSo6'5"5-01.80.20.60.40.20.0%—0.050.0%18.4%
2Devin CarneyGJr6'1"5-01.20.60.20.20.237.5%33.3%0.6—49.0%
3Ian MottaFSr6'6"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
11Kaden HoldbrookGJr6'2"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
6Trajan ThompsonGFr6'6"0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
—Owen McGlashanNA——0-00.00.00.00.00.0——0.0——
Rosters come from ESPN and are still filling in; incoming transfers and freshmen may be missing.

Tale of the tape

national rank toned left for away, right for home
DenverWisconsin
Efficiency
113.0
118.0
116.6
105.0
68.8
69.2
—
—
Shooting
53.6%
54.5%
52.6%
54.7%
36.8%
36.2%
77.1%
78.8%
34.1%
31.5%
Ball control & glass
14.3%
12.8%
13.0%
14.3%
29.8%
29.1%
32.8%
28.2%
8.4%
6.6%
7.9%
12.5%
Style
38.6%
52.1%
38.6%
36.2%
7.4%
12.9%
40.2%
57.3%
25.7%
28.3%
Roster
3.26
2.59
6'5.4"
6'8.3"
—
68.1%

Offseason

roster movement into this season — descriptive, not a model input
Denver
Returning minutes: 100.0%Returning production: 100.0%
ESPN hasn't posted Denver's roster for this season yet — no movement to show.

Returns 100% of last season's minutes. Teams returning at least 65% of last season's minutes have historically gained about 2.2 points of AdjEM (n=156 team-seasons, 2022-2026). (ESPN hasn't posted this season's roster yet -- this may still be last season's list.)

Wisconsin
Returning minutes: 68.1%Returning production: 58.3%
Lost
  • John Blackwell 32.8 mpg, 18.6 ppg · transferred to Duke
  • Nick Boyd 32.0 mpg, 20.7 ppg · not on a D1 roster yet
Added
  • Elijah Gray no D1 minutes last season

No incoming D1 transfers are listed on ESPN's roster yet — until they are, returning shares read high.

Returns 68% of last season's minutes; lost 2 of its top 5 (1 transferred). Teams returning at least 65% of last season's minutes have historically gained about 2.2 points of AdjEM (n=156 team-seasons, 2022-2026).

Head-to-head

this season and last
No meetings the last two seasons.

The CBB Matchups tab lays out the day's Division I slate: matchup, tip time, records and rank, and — once posted — Pinnacle's spread and total (the median across books when Pinnacle has no line). Three views switch the table between projected scores, pace and totals, and each team's offensive and defensive tendencies. Each game opens into opponent-adjusted possessions, efficiency and four-factor tendencies for both teams, plus recent form, rotation and head-to-head history. Every game also carries our projected score, spread and total, built bottom-up from those same numbers: expected possessions times each side's opponent-adjusted points per possession, plus home court.

What these numbers mean: line shopping.