Did Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur jinx the Wisconsin Badgers?

It's been commonplace for Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard to bring dignitaries into the locker room after a Kohl Center victory.

The Badgers have celebrated with recruits, former athletes, and celebrities, but the Badgers' welcoming Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur into the locker room may have put a postseason hex on Wisconsin.

At least that was the opinion of some on social media following fifth-seeded Wisconsin's 83-82 loss to High Point in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

LaFleur, who has had his own problems leading his team to postseason victories, addressed Wisconsin following its 21-point win over No.10 Michigan State, the third top-10 win in a 10-game stretch.

this was the moment the Badgers were doomed in postseason play pic.twitter.com/79uI32GYEj
— ebo (@ebosays) March 19, 2026

"Every time you step on the court, you play like that," LaFleur said to the team. "You'd be a really tough team to beat. But that was fun to watch. Keep it rolling now, one day at a time. Stack that (expletive)."

Wisconsin lost its next game at Ohio State, but the Badgers won four of their final games to finish alone in fifth place in the Big Ten. UW went 2-1 in the Big Ten Tournament, including a victory over No.9 Illinois and a narrow three-point loss to No.3 Michigan, but the Badgers fell apart down the stretch in losing to High Point in their NCAA Tournament opener.

UW led by eight with 7:08 remaining and by four with 1:08 remaining, but failed to score on its final four possessions.

"That's the heartache that comes with this tournament, is that team plays exceptionally well," Gard said, "and you get sent home when you don't take care of things you need to take care of."

Wisconsin has lost in the opening round in two of the last three NCAA tournament appearances and three times over the last six tournaments. UW hasn't advanced past the second round since 2017.

Despite winning 64.7 percent of his regular-season games, postseason disappointments have plagued LaFleur in his seven seasons in Green Bay. The Packers are 3-6 and have lost their opening game in three of their last four appearances.

This past January, Green Bay led 21-3 at halftime but lost to archrival Chicago, 31-27, after being outscored, 25-6, in the fourth quarter.