Greg Gard and the No. 24-ranked University of Wisconsin basketball program exited a grueling non-conference slate, holding a 9-3 overall record, which includes a notable Big Ten Conference road win against Michigan State in East Lansing.
Although the Badgers found themselves in a similar position heading into conference play a year ago and wound up missing the NCAA Tournament, there are several reasons to believe Coach Gard and company are among the league’s top contenders.
The Wisconsin Badgers own four wins over programs rated in the Barttorvik top 60 teams. Conversely, two of their three losses have come against teams ranked inside the top 10 (Tennessee/Arizona).