- The Wisconsin Badgers lost a close game to BYU in the NCAA Tournament round of 32, extending their Sweet 16 drought to eight seasons.
- Despite the early tournament exit, Coach Greg Gard boasts a successful overall record and two Big Ten regular season titles during his tenure.
- While Gard’s NCAA Tournament record is less impressive, his consistency in conference play and ability to exceed expectations solidify his position as a top Big Ten coach.
Wisconsin suffered a gut-wrenching 91-89 defeat vs. BYU in the NCAA Tournament round of 32 on Saturday.
Facing a late 14-point deficit and an offensive onslaught from BYU, the Badgers never wavered. Powered by 26 second-half tallies from star John Tonje, Wisconsin possessed the ball with an opportunity to knot the contest at 91 with just 13 seconds remaining.
Tonje ultimately missed the game-tying attempt, and Wisconsin departed Ball Arena with yet another first-weekend NCAA Tournament exit.
The Badgers’ Sweet 16 drought extended to eight seasons with the result. UW last appeared in the tournament’s second weekend during the 2016-17 season, Greg Gard’s first full year manning the sidelines.
To put the drought into context, that team’s starting five featured Bronson Koening, Ethan Happ, Zak Showalter, Nigel Hayes and Vitto Brown. The ensemble lost in overtime to Florida on a miraculous buzzer-beater from guard Chris Chiozza.
Greg Gard’s teams have failed to reach that stage ever since.
While the resume doesn’t look spectacular on paper, Greg Gard is as consistent a coach as there is in the Big Ten. Gard owns a 212-117 overall record in over nine full seasons manning the sidelines, including a 117-77 clip in conference play. He’s won a pair of Big Ten regular season titles (2020, 2022) and been named Big Ten Coach of the Year twice.
However, Gard’s NCAA Tournament record is now just 7-7. The team is just 3-5 in the event since that last Sweet 16 appearance. After the BYU loss, here is Gard’s updated March Madness resume:
NCAA Tournament wins
- 2025 first round: No. 3 Wisconsin 85, No. 14 Montana 66
- 2022 first round: No. 3 Wisconsin 67, No. 14 Colgate 60
- 2021 first round: No. 9 Wisconsin 85, No. 8 North Carolina 62
- 2017 second round: No. 8 Wisconsin 84, No. 9 Virginia Tech 74
- 2017 first round: No. 8 Wisconsin 65, No. 1 Villanova 62
- 2016 second round: No. 7 Wisconsin 47, No. 10 Pittsburgh 43
- 2016 first round: No. 7 Wisconsin 66, No. 2 Xavier 63
NCAA Tournament Losses
- 2025 second round: No. 6 BYU 91, No. 3 Wisconsin 89
- 2024 first round: No. 12 James Madison 72, No. 5 Wisconsin 61
- 2022 second round: No. 11 Iowa State 54, No. 3 Wisconsin 49
- 2021 second round: No. 1 Baylor 76, No. 9 Wisconsin 63
- 2019 first round: No. 12 Oregon 72, No. 5 Wisconsin 54
- 2017 Sweet 16: No. 4 Florida 84, No. 8 Wisconsin 83
- 2016 Sweet 16: No. 6 Notre Dame 61, No. 7 Wisconsin 56
2016 and 2017 are the only two semi-deep runs under Gard. Wisconsin has yet to replicate those results, specifically since holdovers from the 2014 and 2015 Final Four runs left the program.
Gard’s seat is nowhere near hot, however. His dependability in conference play and ability to exceed expectations make him one of the better coaches in the Big Ten. While the March results are disappointing, Wisconsin remains in good hands. 2024-25 may prove to be a step in the right direction as the program looks to excel in the sport’s new era of player movement.
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