The Wisconsin Badgers are dancing no longer after a narrow defeat to the BYU Cougars in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32. Greg Gard’s crew fought extremely hard and showed amazing grit and togetherness, but ultimately came up short in a shootout game in Denver. The 91-89 loss ends the year for the Badgers, but the thrills of the season were not lost on Gard despite the saddening defeat.
Wisconsin Badgers Fall to BYU Cougars in Gripping March Madness Affair
The Wisconsin Badgers’ season is over after Saturday’s loss to the 6-seed BYU Cougars. Entering March Madness as the 3-seed in the competition’s East Region, Wisconsin defeated Montana in the opening round but fell to BYU in the Round of 32, failing to make it past the tournament’s opening weekend. The Badgers have not made it to the Sweet 16 since 2017.
Saturday’s game was a primarily offensive affair. Wisconsin and BYU combined for 180 points, 24 made three-pointers, and 38 made free throws.
BYU’s Richie Saunders led the way with 25 points, which included 3 made triples. Soon-to-be NBA Draft selection Egor Demin had 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, while shooting guard Trevin Knell went 4-6 from deep and had 14 points.
For Wisconsin, leading man John Tonje had the game of his life with an electric 37 points on the biggest stage. Fans in Denver, Colorado bore witness to an offensive masterclass from the 6-foot-5 senior, who made 10 of his 18 shots, went 14-16 from the free throw line, and made play after play to keep the Badgers in the game.
Sophomore John Blackwell also had a fantastic night, with 21 points. Max Klesmit and Steven Crowl also ended in double-figures, but the Badgers could not keep up with BYU’s potent offense.
Greg Gard Reflects on the 2024-25 Season, Calling it the Most Fun He Has Had in His Career
Head coach Greg Gard was understandably somber in his postgame interview, praising the players for their fight and determination to make a comeback in the game. After facing a double-digit deficit in the first half, a gap that remained for the majority of the second half, Wisconsin had a furious comeback to make it a one-possession game before narrowly losing.
Gard also reflected on the season as a whole, which he described as “maybe the most fun, enjoyable year I’ve had coaching.”
“We were highly doubted early, we weren’t even supposed to be in this tournament; supposed to be finishing 12th in the Big Ten, maybe. And this group just bought in, and committed to each other, and they’re so much fun to be around every single day and so much fun to coach, and the joy that they played with, and how they bonded together, was really really special.”
Gard has been in charge of Wisconsin since 2015, when he took over for Bo Ryan. Gard has commanded several great teams, and led back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 2016 and 2017. He has not been past the tournament’s second weekend since.
Speaking briefly about the x’s and o’s of the loss, Gard lamented his team’s slow start on defense. Offensively, Wisconsin matched BYU’s 12 made triples, but shot a worse percentage (34% vs. 46%). The Badgers were outrebounded by 9 and had only 3 bench points compared to BYU’s 24.
The Badgers season has once again ended in heartbreak, and while the loss certainly stings, this team will be remembered for the way they came together to exceed expectations and create a culture that any head coach can be proud of.
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