Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program entered the NCAA Tournament riding high but couldn’t sustain their momentum. They ultimately finished their roller-coaster season on a sour note.
Wisconsin, which reached as high as No. 6 in the Associated Press Top 25 polls before a February tailspin, faced 12th-seeded James Madison, a tough opponent known for its assertive style of play, in the Round of 64.
Unfortunately, the fifth-seeded Badgers were ill-prepared for the challenge, losing 72-61. They succumbed to a season-high 19 turnovers and didn’t execute well enough on offense. Consequently, Wisconsin failed to make the tournament’s second weekend for the seventh straight year, leading the Badgers into a pivotal offseason.