Over the last decade, Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program has been known for its consistency in college hoops. The team has maintained an average KenPom finish of 29.8, ranking 12th in the nation, behind prestigious programs such as Gonzaga, Kansas, and Duke. After the departure of longtime head coach Bo Ryan in 2015, assistant coach Greg Gard took over and led the team to success.
Under Gard’s leadership, the Badgers have had six 20-plus-win seasons in eight years and won 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. Gard has a strong record of 186-107 and has led the team to five of the top 19 winningest seasons in program history.
During Gard’s tenure, several Wisconsin players have received prestigious conference honors, including Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ, and Johnny Davis. Despite this success, the team has not advanced past the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA Tournament since 2017. The program missed the tournament entirely in 2018 and 2023.
Looking ahead to the upcoming season of 2024-25, Wisconsin is adding three top transfers – Camren Hunter from Central Arkansas, John Tonje from Missouri, and Xavier Amos from Northern Illinois. With these new additions to their roster, the Badgers hope to return to their place among college basketball’s elite programs.
Gard’s leadership has been instrumental in maintaining consistency for Wisconsin’s men’s basketball program over the past decade. With these new additions to their roster for next season, it will be interesting to see if they can break through their recent NCAA Tournament drought.
