Madison, WI – After 41 games, Wisconsin women’s hockey captured its storybook ending. With a finish fit for the plot of a unforgettable sports flick, the Badgers captured an eighth national championship.

 

While accepting the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, UW captain Casey O’Brien said to her coaches, “thank you for assembling this ridiculous roster.”

 

That “ridiculous roster” did not just re-write the record books in Madison this season. It put its hands on nearly every page, scribbled out the old names, and tore it to shreds.

 

With a heralded rookie recruiting class that featured both the Team USA and Team Canada Under-18 captains, two returning national player of the year finalists, and perhaps the best defender in the game, excitement about how much that roster could do began to grow all the way back in September.

 

If there were any doubts that this Wisconsin women’s hockey team could be something special, they were erased in the opening 20 minutes of the season. By winning the national title game in a fashion no team in the NCAA had ever done before, UW bookended the season with record-setting victories.

 

The 30 Records Wisconsin Women’s Hockey Set This Season

1 – On September 27th, the Badgers scored early and often in their season-opener. Laila Edwards, who ended the season as the nation’s leading goal-scorer, got her first of the season 77 seconds in. She was assisted by O’Brien, whose record-breaking abilities are well documented below, on the first of eight goals in the first period. UW had never before scored eight times in a single period.

 

2 – Along with those eight goals came 15 assists. Marianne Picard’s goal to put Wisconsin up 5-0 was assisted only by Claire Enright. Wisconsin’s other seven goals came with primary and secondary assists. Never before had a Wisconsin team recorded 14 assists in a period, let alone 15.

 

3 – Tally up all those goals and assists, and you get 23 points, beating UW’s previous record for most points in a period by three.

 

4 – In November, O’Brien broke Wisconsin’s career assists record with her 139th in a Badgers uniform. She finished with 177, tallying the final two on UW’s tying and go-ahead goal in a Frozen Four semifinal win over Minnesota.

 

5 – With her first of two points in a road victory at Bemidji State, Harvey eclipsed Wisconsin’s single-season record for points by a defender. Meaghan Mikkelson tallied 49 points in UW’s national championship campaign in 2006-07. After a five-point performance in the Frozen Four, Harvey finished her season with 63 points.

 

6 – In Game 1 of a best-of-three series to advance to the WCHA Final Faceoff, Wisconsin used a relentless forecheck to hold the Bemidji State Beavers at bay. The Badgers have had plenty of overpowering offenses over the years; this team became yet another to hold a team without a shot-on-goal in a period. Wisconsin blanked Bemidji in the second period, the 30th time in program history an opponent did not get through to a Badgers goaltender in a period.

 

7 – Not satisfied with the career assists record, O’Brien became UW’s career points leader this season. With a six-point performance to clinch Wisconsin’s spot in the Final Faceoff, the Milton, Massachusetts native surpassed Hilary Knight’s 262.

 

8 – Five of her points in that game against the Beavers came in the first period, giving O’Brien the program record for most points in a single period.

 

9 – Four of those five first-period points were assists, setting another Badgers record for most helpers in a single period.

O’Brien was on the ice in that eventful first period for five of Wisconsin’s seven even-strength goals. That tied the existing UW record for best plus-minus in a single period, putting O’Brien alongside Kelly Jaminski’s +5 second-period against Lindenwood in 2011.

 

In that same game, the Badgers scored eight first-period goals (one shorthanded), tying the record the team set for goals in a period against Lindenwood on opening night.

 

10 – Amidst all the records set by O’Brien, Wisconsin set a season-long record. A year ago, the Badgers tallied a program-best 355 assists. In the final minute against Bemidji State, UW scored twice. First, Sarah Wozniewicz was assisted by O’Brien and Lacey Eden to tie the season-long record with less than 53.7 remaining.

 

Then, Finley McCarthy put Wisconsin’s 11th goal of the game in the net with only one second remaining in the 3rd period. Two of McCarthy’s fellow rookies, Emma Venusio and Hannah Halverson, assisted to break the record that was not yet a full 365 days old. Wisconsin finished the season with 392 helpers – over 10% more than the previous record’s total.

 

11 – That last-second goal also tied the UW record of 557 points in a season, set last year. In Wisconsin’s next game, against the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs in the Final Faceoff, a Kelly Gorbatenko goal and Laney Potter assist put the 2024-25 Badgers atop the program leaderboard before ultimately finishing with 613 points.

 

12 – The Badgers had another new career-points record set in that first game of the Final Faceoff. With two points in a come-from-behind victory against Minnesota Duluth, Harvey tied and eclipsed Sis Paulsen’s program-best 130 career points by a defender. With her senior season still to play, Harvey has tallied 137 points in a Wisconsin uniform.

 

13 – Topping her performance of the first Badger with 50 assists in a single season last year, O’Brien broke her own program record for most assists in a single season with 62. Her pair of helpers in the NCAA Tournament Regional Final made her the first Badger ever with 60 assists in a season.

 

14 – With three points in the national semifinal against Minnesota, O’Brien tallied her 86th, 87th, and 88th point of the season, edging out UW’s previous single-season scorer Meghan Duggan’s 87.

 

15 – Finishing that game against the Golden Gophers +3 in the box score, O’Brien finished her time in the Cardinal and White +205. It is by far the best plus-minus of any Wisconsin Badgers career, surpassing Brianna Decker’s +175 (2009-13) by 30.

 

16 – With the top three scorers in the country, four of the top five, and five of the top seven, the Badgers broke the previous program record for goals in a season. Wisconsin surpassed the previous record, set in the 2010-11 season, of 212 goals with Harvey’s second-period go-ahead goal against Minnesota in the Frozen Four. Kirsten Simms’ dramatic final goals of the season brought UW’s season-long total to 221.

 

17 – Before Wisconsin and Minnesota had met Friday, no team had ever beaten the Golden Gophers six times in one season. The Badgers did just that to get to their third-straight national title game.

 

18 – With six wins in the Border Battle this year, and four last season, Wisconsin has gotten the better of Minnesota ten games in a row. That was enough for the Badgers to overtake the Gophers for the all-time series lead between the two powerhouse programs, 58-57-16. Previously, UW had never led the all-time series.

 

19 – The day between the Frozen Four semifinal and championship game, the CCM/ACHA revealed their All-American teams. Four of the five first-team all-American skaters for 2025 play for the Badgers (O’Brien, Harvey, Edwards, and Simms). With their selections, Wisconsin now boasts the most First-Team All-Americans ever with 27, surpassing Minnesota’s 24.

 

20 – Less than an hour after the All-American teams were announced, USA Hockey named Casey O’Brien the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award recipient. With six winners of the award given to the top women’s college hockey player, UW is now tied with Harvard for the most.

 

21 – Even before the winner was officially announced, the Badgers would inevitably tie the Crimson’s record. There was no doubt because all three finalists played for Wisconsin. O’Brien, Edwards, and Simms became the second-ever trio of teammates to sweep the finalist spots. The only other team to do so was the 41-0 undefeated national champion 2013 Minnesota Gophers.

 

22 – Goaltender Ava McNaughton needed a record-setting performance to bring the national title back to Madison. In 2019, Kirsten Campbell’s 35 wins became the program-record for wins by a Badgers netminder in a single-season. McNaughton’s victory against Ohio State was the 36th of her sophomore campaign.

 

23 – With the most-prolific scoring offense in the country, and the national goaltender of the year backstopping the best defense in the nation, the Badgers set a program-record for team plus-minus. Finishing +703, UW surpassed its previous-best mark of +589 set a season ago.

 

24 – Leading the way with her combined offensive and defensive output was Harvey. With a season-long mark of +75, the back-to-back WCHA Defensive Player of the Year bested Duggan’s +69 campaign in 2010-11.

 

25 – The final win of Wisconsin’s season cemented it as the national champion and the winningest team in program history. Win number 38 put the Badgers ahead of the 37-win national title-winning Wisconsin team in 2011.

 

26 – By adding that 38th win, UW set a program record for season-long winning percentage. The .951 mark (38-1-2) surpassed the 2011 team’s .927 (37-2-2).

 

27 – That final win of the season added to head coach Mark Johnson’s record for the most wins by an NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey head coach. The 22-year Badgers veteran now has 667 wins to his name.

 

28 – That 667th win, of course, came with a national championship. Wisconsin already had one more NCAA title than any other program in the country. The most recent championship puts the Badgers in sole possession of the most women’s ice hockey championships in any division. Plattsburgh State has won seven Division III titles.

 

29 – Alongside the program record, no other head coach in any division of the NCAA has led a team to more women’s ice hockey national titles than Johnson.

 

30 – Getting that final, record-setting win was no easy task. When Wisconsin went down 3-1 at the beginning of the second-period against Ohio State, it was forced to do what no team in the history of the Women’s Frozen Four championship game had ever done before: erase a two goal deficit to win the national title.

 

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

 

 

 

 

The transfer portal ‘officially’ opened up earlier this week, and the Wisconsin basketball team has the first member of their 2024-25 team enter. Junior guard Camren Hunter has entered the portal, according to a report by On3’s Pete Nakos.

 

Hunter spent one season with the Badgers after transferring in last offseason from Central Arkansas. As a transfer last offseason, 247Sports had him as a 4-star player in the portal.

 

During his time in Madison, Hunter played in 11 games and just 2.1 minutes per game. He averaged 0.3 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.1 assists per game while shooting 12.5% from the field.

 

The Wisconsin basketball team will look very different next season. John Tonje, Max Klesmit, Carter Gilmore, Steven Crowl, and Markus Ilver will all move on after using up their eligibility. Hunter likely won’t be the only member of the team to enter the portal this offseason.

 

Gard and his staff will liekly be aggressive in the transfer portal as they will look to reshape the team. Wisconsin fans can expect plenty of movement in the coming weeks as the program works to build a competitive roster for the future.

 

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

 

 

 

Despite a section of the fanbase that wants him fired, the Wisconsin Badgers have been a consistent winner throughout Greg Gard’s tenure as head coach. Gard has a record of 212–117, won 117 Big Ten games, and won two regular-season shared titles. In addition, Gard has two Sweet 16 appearances in 2016 and 2017. This season might have even been his best coaching job yet.

 

Gard has accomplished feats in Madison that some programs have not achieved since the turn of the century. Two of those programs are Iowa and Minnesota, which are looking to turn around their respective men’s basketball programs starting next season.

 

Wisconsin Badger fans will be introduced to new rival coaches in 2025-26

On Monday, the Iowa Hawkeyes made it official by hiring Drake men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum as the next head coach in Iowa City. McCollum takes over for Badger villain Fran McCaffery, the program’s all-time wins leader who was fired the day after Iowa bowed out of the Big Ten tournament.

 

Before coming to Drake, McCollum was an ultra-successful head coach at Division II Northwest Missouri State, where he won 394 games and four (!!) NCAA championships. In his only season at Drake, McCollum, with a roster consisting of Division II transfers headlined by Bennett Stirtz, went 31-4 with wins over Vanderbilt and Kansas State and won both the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament crown.

 

McCollum takes over a Hawkeyes team that finished with a 17-16 record and a second-consecutive season without an NCAA tournament berth. The Hawkeyes have not reached the Sweet 16 since 1999, Dr. Tom Davis’ final season at Iowa, and have not won at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season crown since 1979.

 

In the Twin Cities, Colorado State head coach and Minnesota alum Niko Medved accepted the Golden Gophers’ men’s basketball head coaching position. Medved takes over for Ben Johnson, who finished with a 56-71 record, including an 0-7 record against Wisconsin.

 

Medved comes to Minnesota with a 222-172 record that includes stops at Furman, Drake, and Colorado State. At CSU, Medved, who coached John Tonje in Fort Collins, won 143 games in the 2025 Mountain West tournament and earned three invitations to the NCAA tournament. He takes over a program at Minnesota that has not only failed to make the Big Dance since 2019 but hasn’t made the second weekend since their vacated 1997 Final Four season.

 

Wisconsin basketball’s 2024-25 season can’t be adequately discussed or analyzed without significant focus on John Tonje’s out-of-nowhere emergence and all-time great run.

 

Tonje, an unheralded transfer recruit, joined the Badgers after an injury-riddled year at Missouri. He had averaged nearly 15 points at Colorado State in 2022-23. But when he committed to Wisconsin in May, nobody’s wildest expectations could have forecast what was to come.

 

The sixth-year veteran burst onto the scene from the season’s first game. He led a resurgent Wisconsin offense, averaging 19.6 points per game on 46.5% shooting, 39% from 3 and 91% from the free-throw line. He finished the season with 724 points, eight shy of the program’s single-season record.

 

Most notably, Tonje’s resume includes a 41-point showing in the Badgers’ November win over Arizona, 33 in a triumph over Pittsburgh, 32 and 31 in defining back-to-back wins over Purdue and Illinois, respectively, 32 against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament and, finally, a program NCAA Tournament record 37 in the team’s season-ending loss to BYU.

 

His play always seemed to meet the moment. Those mentioned top performances were in Wisconsin’s biggest games of the season.

 

The first-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-American wing took to Instagram on Monday to send a message to the Wisconsin fan base, after what he describes as a life-changing year.

 

“Thank you Wisconsin,” Tonje wrote. “God blessed me beyond belief with this life-changing experience. It has truly been an honor and dream come true to represent Wisconsin. The family, experiences, lessons, and memories I have developed here in Madison are ones I will never forget and run way deeper than just basketball. I’m forever in debt to my teammates, coaches, and supporters, who made this year so special!! Love yall!! #9 out.”

 

While Wisconsin fell short against a strong BYU team in the NCAA Tournament round of 32, Tonje headlines what should be considered a successful season. Greg Gard needed to find a spark after leading contributors A.J. Storr and Chucky Hepburn entered the transfer portal following the 2023-24 campaign. Tonje delivered that and then some, aiding Gard’s efforts to revolutionize the program’s approach.

 

There is a realistic scenario where the 2024-25 season springboards a multiyear run of success. That is due to two primary factors. First, Tonje’s emergence furthers its status as a clear destination for talented wing scorers whether a transfer or a high school recruit. Second, Wisconsin has built an overall offensive infrastructure to attract top talent across the lineup.

 

While Tonje will not be there to lead future teams, the effects of his 2024-25 season could have significant long-term ramifications.

 

The Wisconsin star will likely enter the NBA draft and begin his professional career. As of March 25, he isn’t projected to be selected in the draft. That status could still change with a strong performance in pre-draft workouts and showcases.

 

 

 

 

The season came to an end over the weekend for the Wisconsin men, but they have already started working towards the 2025-26 season.

 

The Badgers who eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by BYU in an instant-classic that saw them erase a double-digit lead before a potential game-tying shot came up short.

 

Plenty of minutes will be available for those set to return and those who come into the program in the fall, with some of them possibly being filled by Quinton Mincey.

 

Mincey, who has been in contact with the Badgers according to The Portal Report, is a fifth-year senior in 2025 who is seeking a hardship waiver for one more year. He spent the previous four at UMass Lowell.

 

This past season, the 6-foot-6 Mincey posted almost 17 points and six rebounds per game. He was an accurate shooter, knocking down 49 percent of his field goals and almost 40 percent from the 3-point line while playing nearly 36 minutes.

 

Wisconsin is set to lose All-American and leading scorer John Tonje along with Max Klesmit, Steven Crowl, Kamari McGee, Carter Gilmore and Markus Illver. John Blackwell, Xavier Amos and Nolan Winter will all be back to lead the way.

 

This article first appeared on Wisconsin Badgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

 

 

 

Five teams that are on upset alert in the men’s Sweet 16

 

Jay Bilas Names SEC Powerhouse With ‘High’ Chance of Being Upset in…

After sensational victories over the No. 7 seed St. Mary’s Gaels and No. 3 seed Wisconsin Badgers, the stage is set for a blockbuster Sweet 16 matchup in the East Region between two electric teams.

 

Nate Oats and the No. 2 seed Alabama Crimson Tide will take on Kevin Young and the No. 6 seed BYU Cougars in what will be a battle between two of college basketball’s most prolific offenses. Both the Crimson Tide and Cougars have eclipsed the 80-point mark in each of their two tournament games thus far. For two squads that are uber efficient in just about every single category on the offensive end, this game promises to be a shootout.

 

ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas has correctly predicted both Sweet 16 matchups of No. 1 Duke vs No. 4 Arizona and No. 6 BYU vs. No. 3 Alabama in his bracket. On top of making his predictions for the matchups, Bilas also weighed in on the potential prospect of the Crimson Tide being upset by the Cougars in the next round.

Here’s what he said about the Crimson Tide’s chances of being upset: “High. Alabama and BYU will have a track meet. Neither team leads with defense, but Alabama is better at limiting 3s, and Nate Oats hates tater tots. What a buzzkill.” Both teams are in the top 10 in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

A large part of both teams’ offensive success has been the frenetic pace and exceptional flow they play with. The game will be played on Thursday night in Newark, New Jersey, with tip-off scheduled for 7:09 p.m. ET. For college basketball fans that enjoy offense, this clash between two high-octane offenses is a must-watch.

 

Evander Kane shocks at practice after discouraging report from GM Stan…

 

Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy drops massive update amid Aaron Rodgers rumors

The Minnesota Vikings let 2024 starting quarterback Sam Darnold leave the club as a free agent, and Minnesota hasn’t yet approached Aaron Rodgers about possibly serving as a bridge option at the position. Thus, many have assumed the Vikings are planning to name 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy their new QB1. According to McCarthy, he hasn’t yet been promised anything regarding the upcoming campaign by head coach Kevin O’Connell. ”

They haven’t told me,” McCarthy said during a Tuesday appearance on FanDuel TV’s “Up Adams” program about conversations he’s had with O’Connell and Co., as shared by Kevin Patra of the NFL’s website. “I’m happy they didn’t because I try to earn it every single day. I never want that to be given to me. It’s such a privilege and an opportunity to give me that chance. I’m just gonna make the most of it every single day.” The Vikings could’ve retained Darnold’s rights for 2025 via the franchise tag after he guided the club to a 14-3 record, but Minnesota instead allowed him to begin speaking with other teams when the legal tampering portion of free agency began on March 10.

He ultimately agreed to a three-year, $100.5M contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Meanwhile, some within the Vikings have “supported the idea of adding Rodgers” to the roster this spring because McCarthy is “a less-than-certain option” coming off the full meniscus repair that sidelined him for his entire rookie season.

On Tuesday, McCarthy insisted he’s feeling “fantastic” after he spent his rookie campaign learning as a sidelined spectator. “It was an ultimate blessing because, you know, it’s just such a time of stillness where you really get to reflect and introspect and find a routine,” McCarthy said about completing a redshirt pro season. “Especially early on in this career, in this profession, it’s huge for young guys to find that habitual routine that they can rely on and stay consistent with.

So, I would say that was the biggest thing for me.” It was previously reported that it’s a “safe bet” Rodgers will eventually sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but McCarthy’s update suggests the Vikings could give the future Hall of Famer a call depending on how the 22-year-old performs during springtime workouts. As long as Rodgers remains unsigned, some outsiders will continue to believe he’s an option for the Vikings amid McCarthy’s ongoing injury recovery.

 

Canadiens Receive Multiple Pieces of Bad News in Heated Playoff Chase

 

New York Rangers Add Recent Stanley Cup Champion to Their Team…

The New York Rangers made a big roster move today, calling up Nicolas Aubé-Kubel from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL. The Rangers have been one of the more active teams in the NHL this season, making a plethora of moves in an effort to save their season. It began with the team re-acquiring JT Miller from the Canucks in a blockbuster trade, but the deals were far from over.

At the trade deadline, the organization made several more moves, including another deal with the Canucks that brought in defenseman Carson Soucy. One under-the-radar move was a deal the team made with the Buffalo Sabres that saw forward Nicolas Aubé-Kubel join the team. Aubé-Kubel has split time between the NHL and AHL this season, appearing in 19 games for the Sabres and putting up 2 points.

He has 9 points in 15 games at the AHL level split between the Hartford Wolf Pack and Rochester Americans. Today, the club announced that he has been called up to the NHL and will join the Rangers on their west-coast road trip through California The trip begins tomorrow night when they visit the LA Kings at 10:30PM EST. They will then play the Ducks and Sharks back-to-back on Friday and Saturday.

This could be a make-or-break trip for the Rangers as they currently sit just one point back of the Montreal Canadiens for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With eleven games left on their schedule, anything could happen with the race so close. The Islanders are also right on their tail with 73 points to the Rangers’ 74 and the Blue Jackets remain hopeful as well with 71 points and two games in hand on the Rangers.

 

 

A collection of photos from Wisconsin men’s basketball’s NCAA Tournament opener against Montana in Denver.

 

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana guard Joe Pridgen passes the ball as Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter defends during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter pulls in a rebound over Montana guard Joe Pridgen during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana forward Te’Jon Sawyer looks to pass the ball as Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter defends during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter collides with Montana forward Te’Jon Sawyer while shooting during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee looks to pass the ball as Montana forward Jensen Bradtke, left, and guard Kai Johnson defend during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee drives to the basket ahead of Montana forward Jensen Bradtke, left, and guard Malik Moore during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Monte, the University of Montana mascot, kisses the standard Thursday before the team faces Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana coach Travis DeCuire directs his team against Wisconsin during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin guard John Blackwell drives the lane as Montana guard Malik Moore defends during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana forward Te’Jon Sawyer drives to the basket as Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl defends during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl posts up against Montana guard Joe Pridgen during the first half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard looks on during the first half against Montana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana guard Kai Johnson drives past Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana guard Joe Pridgen goes up for a basket as Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee and forward Carter Gilmore, right, defend during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore lands on Montana forward Amari Jedkins during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Xavier Amos pulls in a rebound over Montana guard Joe Pridgen and Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana guard Brandon Whitney drives past Wisconsin guard Kamari McGee during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski,

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Montana guard Money Williams collects a loose ball as Wisconsin guard John Blackwell pursues during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore looks to pass the ball as Montana guard Money Williams defends during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Carter Gilmore reacts after hitting a 3-point basket against Montana during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Steven Crowl looks to pass the ball as Montana forward Te’Jon Sawyer defends during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin coach Greg Gard directs his team against Montana during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. David Zalubowski, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin guard John Tonje passes the ball as Montana guard Money Williams defends during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

NCAA Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin guard John Blackwell collects the ball as Montana guard Kai Johnson defends during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

Montana Wisconsin Basketball

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter loses control of the ball while driving between Montana guards Malik Moore and Joe Pridgen during the second half of Thursday’s first round of the NCAA Tournament in Denver. John Leyba, Associated Press

 

 

The Wisconsin Badgers saw their season end heartbreakingly as a late second-half comeback fell short against the BYU Cougars 91-89. The Cougars never trailed in this game and responded repeatedly when the Badgers went on scoring runs to cut the lead to single digits.

 

Despite having a height advantage against the BYU frontcourt, Wisconsin was outrebounded 41-31 and gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the loss. In addition, the Badgers surrendered 38 points in the paint against the attacking Cougar offense.

 

I had a hard time reflecting on the season after John Tonje’s final shot fell well short at the end of the game. This was a successful winning season for Greg Gard and the Badgers, and perhaps Gard’s best coaching job as the head coach at Wisconsin. Despite what some rabid Badger fans think, he should not be on the hot seat next season.

 

However, we cannot ignore the Badgers’ failures under Gard to get the second weekend since the 2016-17 team led by Bo Ryan recruits Bronson Koenig, Ethan Happ, Nigel Hayes, and Zak Showalter. That is unacceptable for Wisconsin basketball.

 

Here are three standouts from the Wisconsin-BYU game:

 

John Tonje

The end result was not what he wanted, but what a final game for the greatest Wisconsin basketball transfer of the modern era. Carrying his team on his back in the second half, Tonje finished with 37 points, a Wisconsin program record in the NCAA Tournament.

 

After arriving at Madison, Tonje put together one of the greatest individual seasons in program history. The second-team All-American averaged 19.6 PPG, including tremendous performances against ninth-ranked Arizona (41 points), seventh-ranked Purdue (32 points), and Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament (32 points). Not bad for a little-known transfer guard from Colorado State and Missouri.

 

John Blackwell

Blackwell was the Badgers’ second-leading scorer with 21 points, albeit on six-of-14 shots from the floor. It was another solid game for the honorable mention All-Big Ten guard.

 

Before the start of the season, Greg Gard noticed something different about Blackwell. The sophomore guard was more comfortable with the ball, and that comfortability accompanied a much more focused mindset, similar to that of former All-American Johnny Davis.

 

While he did not have a season like Davis, Blackwell made a noticeable sophomore leap in his second season, finishing with 15.8 points per game. His post on X should quell any concerns that he might enter the transfer portal after the season.

 

Richie Saunders

One of the keys for Wisconsin to win was to stop Saunders from getting into any groove. That did not happen. Saunders, BYU’s leading scorer, finished with 25 points on nine-of-16 shots from the floor, including 13 points in the second half. Saunders only had four free throws this game, but they came at two critical times. The BYU star converted two free throws after a Wisconsin technical foul, including a layup on the following possession, and Saunders’ final free throws of the game proved to be the difference.

 

The Badgers head coach has assumed a different role in the NIL era.

 

 

The Wisconsin Badgers have had one of their best seasons in recent memory, totaling 26 wins before the NCAA Tournament and earning a No. 3 seed on Selection Sunday.

 

After beating the Montana Grizzlies 85-66 in the first round, the Badgers are looking to book their ticket into the Sweet Sixteen for the first time 2017 when they face off against the BYU Cougars in the Round of 32 on Saturday.

 

But, for Wisconsin, this season’s success started way before a strong March, and honestly even before the first game of the year back in November.

 

No, the success started all the way back during the offseason when head coach Greg Gard and his staff formulated a plan to attack the transfer portal and continue evolving the team’s offense after wing AJ Storr blossomed into a star in a changing offense in 2024.

 

In the transfer portal, the Badgers identified Missouri wing transfer John Tonje as a fit after initially being in on several other targets, and that ended up being the best gamble in the country this season.

 

Tonje blossomed into a star himself, earning All-American honors with a strong season that elevated Wisconsin into one of the best teams in the country this season.

 

The wing represents how Wisconsin has evolved, changing their offensivr style to represent more of a pro attack, while staying true to Wisconsin’s principles, especially on the defensive side, in the process.

 

[We] had to evolve,” head coach Greg Gard acknowledged. “We’ve evolved off the court. Obviously, everything has changed with the portal and NIL and everything. And we’ve also evolved on the court.

 

“We’ve shifted kind of and changed how we played, but at the same time, not forgetting and not de-emphasizing the pillars of success that we’ve had over the years and you know, being fundamentally sound, being tough, being good defensively, I think those are the keys for, first of all, trying to win in the Big Ten consistently year in and year out, and then evolving as the game has changed. It’s become more of a three point, transition, analytic-driven game.

 

Some of the professional things in pro basketball, whether it’s the NBA or in Europe, have trickled down to college. And you’re seeing it. You see it with BYU, you see it with us, see it with other teams in our league.

And I think you have to continue to evolve and continue to adapt and continue to grow. And at the same time, we know what works at the University of Wisconsin and probably more importantly, we know what won’t work at Wisconsin. And that’s on the court, off the court, classroom, all those things are still important. They don’t get less emphasized. We just add a few more wagons to the train, so to speak.”

 

The offseason transition was a huge one for Wisconsin as seven players, including three key starters, departed the program, leaving Gard and Co. in a tough spot entering a crucial year.

 

But, that has been the norm in college basketball recently with NIL and the transfer portal being such big factors.

 

As a result, some head coaching legends have elected to step away from the game, while programs are beginning to poach assistants from NBA programs and hire general managers to better deal with the change.

 

The differences in college basketball have also affected the dynamic at Wisconsin, as Gard has been forced to evolve into more of a CEO rather than just being a head coach. That has placed more responsibilities on the staff at Wisconsin, which has also led to assistant coach changes and shakeups.

 

“I don’t do as much of [coaching] because there’s a lot of other things that go into the other hats I wear,” Gard acknowledged on Friday. “Obviously around the evolution of NIL and how that’s grown, our staff has really taken a fundraising approach to it and tried to really communicate the importance of it to our donors and our supporters, and educate them, so to speak on it.”

 

“But yeah, it’s definitely has changed. You become more of a CEO than you do a coach. I probably do spend less time on out of bounds plays than I used to 10 years ago. But, [you] have to evolve and you have to embrace the change. And I think we’ve done a really good job of staying in our own way, staying on the cutting edge.”

 

In an age where older and more experienced coaches have struggled to evolve and continue to grow, Gard has swallowed his ego and embraced the change.

 

As a result, Wisconsin arguably has their best team since the 2014-15 group that made a National Championship, and it came with a group that was projected to finish 12th in the Big Ten.

 

The best part? It seems like the program is only going up under the direction of Gard, who has set the program up for success in the present and the future with his CEO-like approach.

The sixth-seeded BYU Cougars and third-seeded Wisconsin Badgers clash in an East Regional second-round matchup on Saturday in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. BYU opened tournament play with an 80-71 win over VCU, while Wisconsin downed Montana 85-66. The Cougars (25-9), who have reached the second round for just the second time since 2012, are 16-34 overall in the tournament. The Badgers (27-9), who are 41-26 in the NCAA Tournament all-time, are making their 24th tournament appearance since 1999.

Denver’s Ball Arena will tip off at 7:45 p.m. ET. The teams will meet for the third time; their last meeting in 2011 ended with Wisconsin winning 73-56. According to SportsLine’s most recent BYU vs. Wisconsin odds, Wisconsin is a 1.5-point favorite, and the over/under for total points scored is 155.5. Check out the SportsLine Projection Model’s college basketball predictions before selecting a Wisconsin vs. BYU team.

Every Division 1 college basketball game is 10,000 times simulated by the model. With a 228-166 record (+2025) on all of the top college basketball picks going back to 2023, it enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Additionally, this model has generated brackets that have won 24 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds and outperformed over 91% of CBS Sports entries in four of the previous six tournaments. Anyone who followed could have made a lot of money.

The algorithm has now locked in its March Madness predictions and is focusing on BYU vs. Wisconsin. To view the model’s selections, go to SportsLine right now. The following are the Wisconsin vs. BYU college basketball odds and lines:

BYU vs. Wisconsin spread: Wisconsin -1.5

BYU vs. Wisconsin over/under: 155.5 points

BYU vs. Wisconsin money line: Wisconsin -121, BYU +102

BYU: The Cougars have hit the money line in 25 of their last 35 games (+13.50 units)

WIS: The Badgers have covered the spread in 22 of their last 37 games (+5.55 units)

BYU vs. Wisconsin picks: See picks at SportsLine

Wisconsin’s ability to cover John Tonje, a sixth-year senior guard, is one of two Badgers who have averaged double figures this season. He is averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 31 minutes in 36 games, all of which he has started. He scored 32 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and dished out two assists in the 77-74 victory over Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. In the victory over Montana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, he scored 15 points, pulled down four rebounds, and blocked two shots.

John Blackwell, a sophomore guard, has recently shown dominance. He just finished the victory over Montana with 19 points, five rebounds, and three assists. In the Big Ten Tournament title game defeat to Michigan, he finished with 18 points and five rebounds. In 31 minutes, he averages 15.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He has started all 36 games this season. He is making 81.3% of his free throws and 45.2% of his field goals. Check out which team to choose here.

Why BYU can cover Junior forward Richie Saunders helps power the Cougars. In the win over VCU, he poured in 16 points and added four rebounds, two assists and two steals. He scored 23 points, while adding five assists and two rebounds in a 96-92 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Conference Tournament quarterfinals. In 33 games this year, all starts, he is averaging 16 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 29.3 minutes

Freshman Egor Demin is coming off a solid outing in the win over VCU. In that game, he scored 15 points, while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists. He had 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in an 88-85 double-overtime win at Iowa State on March 4. In 31 games, all starts, he is averaging 10.5 points, 5.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 27.5 minutes. See which team to pick here.

How to choose between Wisconsin and BYU With a total projection of 155 points, SportsLine’s model is leaning under. Additionally, it has produced a pick that hits in well over 50% of simulations when it is against the spread. The model’s selections are exclusively available at SportsLine. Which side of the spread hits well over 50% of simulations, and who wins BYU vs. Wisconsin? To determine which side of the BYU vs. Wisconsin spread to wager on, visit SportsLine right now. This sophisticated model has produced returns of over $2,000 on its best college basketball picks.