Over the past decade, the Wisconsin men’s basketball program has personified consistency in college hoops. Its average KenPom score of 29.8 ranks 12th in the country, behind prestigious programs including Gonzaga, Kansas, Duke, Purdue, Villanova, North Carolina and Michigan State.
Following the departure of infamous Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan in 2015, former assistant coach Greg Gard began his tenure as UW’s behind-the-scenes leader.
Since then, Gard has captained the Badgers to six seasons with 20-plus wins in eight years and two Big Ten regular-season titles in 2020 and 2022. Wisconsin has made six NCAA Tournament appearances and reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2016 and 2017. .
Under Gard, UW accumulated an overall mark of 186-107 in addition to five of the 19 winningest seasons in program history.
Wisconsin also witnessed three of its athletes receive prestigious conference honors during his tenure.
Future Euroleage superstar Nigel Hayes earned a first-team All-Big Ten nod in 2016 before big man Ethan Happ earned first-team All-Big Ten nods in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Future Washington wizard Johnny Davis was a consensus All-American, the Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten in 2022.
Despite the headlines and the buzz, major postseason success has yet to follow UW’s 2017 Big Dance finish. The program has not reached the Sweet Sixteen since Gard’s second season as head coach and has failed to reach the NCAA Tournament entirely in 2018 and 2023.
With the addition of three main transfers, Arkansas Central Guard Camren HunterMissouri guard John Tonje and Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos Ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, Wisconsin will look to right the ship and return to its place alongside college basketball’s best.
