Greg Gard NCAA Tournament: Record, appearances, year-by-year results for Wisconsin coach

USA TODAY NETWORK

Over the past 25 years, Wisconsin has been one of the most consistent winners in college basketball.

After making the NCAA Tournament just three times before 1997 — though, to be fair, one of those resulted in a national championship, in 1941 — the Badgers have been a part of March Madness for all but three seasons in which the event was held over the past 27 years.

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During that stretch, Wisconsin has made 10 Sweet 16s, four Elite Eights, three Final Fours and competed in a national championship game. With that success have come expectations that the Badgers’ current players and coaches shoulder. A program that was once thrilled to simply make the NCAA Tournament now has reasonable hopes of advancing in it.

It’s what makes setbacks like Friday’s 72-61 loss to 12 seed James Madison in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament that much more disappointing. But how indicative is Friday’s result of the Badgers’ recent NCAA Tournament showings under coach Greg Gard?

Here’s a look at Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament record under Gard, who is in his eighth full season as the program’s head coach:

Greg Gard NCAA Tournament appearances

Wisconsin in 2024 made its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance under Gard. That figure requires some additional context.

In its first tournament appearance under Gard, Wisconsin began the season with Bo Ryan as its head coach. Ryan abruptly retired in Dec. 2015, 12 games into the team’s season, and handed the team off to Gard, his top assistant. Gard went 15-8 the rest of the season, which included a run to the Sweet 16. In March 2016, Gard was named the Badgers’ permanent head coach after serving in the role in an interim capacity since Ryan’s retirement.

Since his first full-time season as coach in 2016-17, Garg's Badgers have only missed the NCAA Tournament three times: in 2017-18, in 2019-20 and in 2022-23. The 2020 NCAA Tournament, of course, was canceled outright in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; at 21-10, the Badgers were strong contenders to make the tournament yet again.

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Greg Gard NCAA Tournament record

In six NCAA Tournament appearances, Gard’s Wisconsin teams have compiled a 6-6 record.

While it’s a respectable overall mark, the Badgers’ fortunes have waned in recent years. Wisconsin advanced to the Sweet 16 in each of its first two trips to the tournament under Gard. Since their run to the Sweet 16 in 2017, the Badgers have gone just 2-4 in four tournament appearances over the past seven years. During that time, Wisconsin has not advanced past the second round.

By comparison, Ryan went 25-14 in 14 trips to the tournament, which included four Sweet 16s, one Elite Eight, two Final Fours and a national championship game appearance.

Greg Gard NCAA Tournament results

Here is how far Wisconsin has advanced in each of its NCAA Tournament appearances under Gard:

2016

First round: (7) Wisconsin 47, (10) Pitt 43
Second round: (7) Wisconsin 66, (2) Xavier 63
Sweet 16: (6) Notre Dame 61, (7) Wisconsin 56

2017

First round: (8) Wisconsin 84, (9) Virginia Tech 74
Second round: (8) Wisconsin 65, (1) Villanova 62
Sweet 16: (4) Florida 84, (8) Wisconsin 83 (OT)

2019

First round: (12) Oregon 72, (5) Wisconsin 54

2021

First round: (9) Wisconsin 75, (8) North Carolina 74
Second round: (1) Baylor 76, (9) Wisconsin 63

2022

First round: (3) Wisconsin 67, (14) Morehead State 60
Second round: (11) Iowa State 54, (3) Wisconsin 49

2024

First round: (12) James Madison 72, (5) Wisconsin 61