How to watch, stream, listen to Wisconsin volleyball's Elite Eight match vs. Oregon (2024)

The University of Wisconsin volleyball will host its fourth Elite Eight match since 2019.

The Badgers (29-3) overcame a long second set in a four-set win in Thursday's Sweet 16 to avenge aregular-season loss to Penn State. It also means the Badgers own a win over every opponent they faced as they have beaten each team they lost to, including the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed Nebraska and Purdue, which lost to Oregon in Thursday's other Sweet 16 match at the UW Field House.

Wisconsin is hosting its fourth NCAA regional since 2019, and it has reached the Elite Eight in all of them. Omaha, Nebraska, hosted the entire tournament during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Badgers are 2-1 in regional finals during that span, and the wins have proven fruitful as they have reached the national championship match each year they've advanced to the Final Four (2019, 2021).

But to have a chance to get back to the Final Four, the Badgers will have to get by a strong Ducks team (29-5) that welcomes the hostile environment.

Here are a few things to know and how to follow.

Marathon set is opponent's first win at Field House since November

Wisconsin ran out of subs, one drawback of running the 6-2 system, and had Devyn Robinson, Temi Thomas-Ailara and Caroline Crawford in the back row as Penn State won the second set 30-28.

It snapped a string of 16 consecutive sets the Badgers had won since they lost at Purdue on Nov. 17. It snapped a set winning streak of 18 that the Badgers had at the Field House since the Boilermakers won the second set Nov. 1.

A common denominator in the recent success is the return of right-side hitter Anna Smrek. The 6-foot-9 junior missed the consecutive road losses in mid-November but returned and the Badgers haven't lost since.

Quick-tempo offense poses challenge for Badgers' block

The Badgers tout the nation's best block at 3.01 per set. They had a 17-4 blocking advantage in the victory against Penn State, and Crawford had 10 blocks. Sophom*ore middle blocker Carter Booth is third nationally at 1.57 blocks per set.

The Ducks set their hitters quickly in hopes of the block not being set in time. Setter Hannah Pukis entered as the active leader in career assists and is ninth nationally with 10.89 assists per set this season.

She has plenty of options to spread the ball to. Four hitters average more than 2.0 kills per set: Mimi Colyer (3.69), opposite-side hitter Morgan Lewis (2.91), Ohio State transfer outside Gabby Gonzales (2.85) and middle blocker Kara McGhee (2.07). Colyer, a sophom*ore outside, was the American Volleyball Coaches Association Freshman of the Year last season.

Oregon's Wisconsin connection

Ducks coach Matt Ulmer is quite familiar with the Badger State. He played collegiately at Carthage College in Kenosha, where ranks second on the men's volleyball program's all-time assists list. The 2007 graduate was inducted into the Carthage athletic hall of fame in 2015.

How to watch Oregon at Wisconsin volleyball in NCAA Tournament

First serve of the regional title will be at 7 p.m. Saturday as the Badgers host Oregon. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

How to stream Oregon at Wisconsin volleyball in NCAA Tournament

Streaming will be available on the ESPN app andespn.com/watch.

How to listen to Oregon at Wisconsin volleyball in NCAA Tournament