Greg Gard Faces Major Pressure as Wisconsin has Tools for a Deep March Madness Run

The Badgers have what it takes to make a run to the second weekend of the tournament

Mar 13, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Wisconsin Badgers guard Nick Boyd (2) celebrates during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Of all the head coaches that made the NCAA Tournament, does anyone have more pressure on them than Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers?

It was a very successful regular season for Wisconsin, experiencing the highest of highs in the sport of beating Michigan on the road but seeing confounding blowout losses sprinkled in.

However, the Badgers flashed its potential in the Big Ten Tournament and the ability it has to win in the NCAA Tournament with its guard play behind Nick Boyd and John Blackwell.

The duo combines to average 39.6 points per game and each shoot over 36-percent from 3-point range. In a setting in which guards dominant this time of the year, there might not be two better combinations in the country.

Boyd, the former Florida Atlantic standout who has experience with a deep March run, flashed his skills on the national stage last week in Chicago with a 38-point showing in an upset overtime win over Illinois.

He posted 25.0 points per game in the Big Ten Tournament and nearly beat the Wolverines for a second straight time this season after a game-tying 3-pointer in the final half minute was nullified by a game-winning 3-pointer by Yaxel Lendeborg with 0.4 seconds remaining.

Still, it was a reminder of what this Wisconsin team is capable of entering a do-or-die tournament.

But, as always, there’s a catch. Under Greg Gard, the Badgers have not made it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since his second season with the program in 2016-17.

After back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, Wisconsin has not advance to the second weekend in eight straight seasons and it will not come easy this year.

The Badgers drew High Point, the champions of the Big South, and in the Round of 64 and, if the better seeds prevail, Arkansas would be waiting in the Round of 32 with a potential date with Arizona in the Sweet 16.

Nothing can be taken for granted or assumed in the NCAA Tournament, but Gard has a team that is capable of making noise and the chatter is mounting to bring Wisconsin back to the top of the sport.

The Badgers tip off on Thursday, March 19 at 1:50 p.m. ET (TBS).