Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes is learning the power of social media and college students' desire to get free food.
Hayes took to Twitter on Wednesday to challenge the Wisconsin student section to buy all available season tickets in under five minutes. Hayes promised he and teammate Bronson Koenig would purchase doughnuts for the students if they accomplished the mission.
Student season tickets sold out in three minutes on Thursday morning. Wisconsin students woke up before 7 a.m. to buy their seats and were able to return to bed before 7:04.
Hayes, Koenig and Dunkin' Donuts should soon become friends.
Young Wisconsin Fan Is Way Too Pumped over Low-Scoring Game vs. Pittsburgh
Mar 18, 2016
Wisconsin and Pittsburgh didn't offer much of a reason to be excited during their round-of-64 meeting on Friday.
The Badgers edged the Panthers 47-43 in the low-scoring affair, but that wasn't about to keep one young Wisconsin fan from soaking in the sweetness of a win—no matter how boring.
Enjoy your moment, girl.
Greg Gard Reportedly to Be Named Permanent Wisconsin Men's Basketball Coach
Mar 7, 2016
MADISON, WI - FEBRUARY 21: Head Coach Greg Gard of the Wisconsin Badgers yells from the sidlines during game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Kohl Center on February 21, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
Interim head coach Greg Gard is reportedly in line to be the long-term successor to recently retired Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball coach Bo Ryan.
ESPN's Jeff Goodman reported Monday that Gard is expected to be offered a five-year contract. Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirmed the report and indicated the deal would be worth "close to" $2 million per season.
Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal reported Gard will officially be introduced as the permanent head coach Tuesday. Ryan retired this past December with a record of 394-157, reaching the Final Four in each of his prior two full seasons.
Under Gard's interim guidance, Wisconsin has posted a 13-6 record to date—a commendable effort after the sudden exit of a coach who was the face of the Badgers program.
Gard is the logical successor; there is hardly anyone more qualified to carry on Ryan's philosophies and serve as a presence of continuity. Ryan spoke highly of his all-around ability to lead in 2014, per Gard's official profile on the Badgers athletics website:
Greg knows why we do drills the way we do them. Why we do things in a game the way we do them. He understands the personalities and the interactions of the players. Greg's a guy that knows the teams in the league, works extremely hard at scheduling, which is a very difficult job. Scouting reports. He just does it all.
Amid his 26th year of coaching and 15th season on the Wisconsin staff, Gard has the goods to keep the Badgers competitive in the deep Big Ten and keep the basketball principles Ryan preached intact.
Given the way he has handled the sudden increase in responsibilities during the 2015-16 campaign, not to mention the pressure of following Ryan, he's already proved adept at adapting to the massively important role.
The extent of Wisconsin's investment in Gard goes to show how highly he must be thought of in Madison to carry the Badgers into a new era.
While college hoops fans can expect a similar brand of basketball and recruiting style, perhaps Gard will prove to be the fresh energy Wisconsin needs to get over the hump for a national championship, which it never did during Ryan's epic tenure.
Wisconsin F Khalil Iverson Loses Handle, Can't Complete Windmill Dunk
Mar 2, 2016
Out in transition, striding at a full-steam sprint, nothing but a wide-open basket ahead; there is no better moment to ignite the crowd with an awe-inspiring jam.
Wisconsin's Khalil Iverson felt the stage was set for a highlight-reel play.
That's why, while the audience held its breath and the bench got to its feet, he rocketed off the hardwood, wound up the ball and...
...caught the edge of the rim—empty-handed.
Unfortunately for Iverson, his arm completed what would have been a tremendous windmill, but his fingers, losing the grip on the ball, simply wouldn't listen.
A moment of silence for all of that instant's intense potential.
[Vine]
Bo Ryan Cements His Unforgettable Legacy at Wisconsin by Going out on His Terms
Dec 16, 2015
FILE - In this March 15, 2015, file photo, Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan kisses the net after Wisconsin won the Big Ten men's college basketball tournament in Chicago. Ryan has announced his retirement. The school sent out a release after the Badgers' 64-49 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday night, Dec. 15, 2015. Assistant Greg Gard takes over as interim coach. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
I wish I could say I remember it like it was yesterday. The truth is—probably because there's so little good to remember—it's more like a blur.
There were 60 wins and 62 losses overall. There was a truly ignoble Big Ten mark of 24-48. That's how Wisconsin's basketball program fared during my four years as a student at the school, from 1988-92.
Yet would you believe that four-season stretch was pretty much wildly successful by Wisconsin standards at the time? It included a pair of 8-10 records in Big Ten play, the best for the Badgers since the league went to an 18-game schedule in 1974-75. It included a pair of NIT appearances—incredibly, Wisconsin's only postseasons of any kind since the 1940s.
The coach while I was there, Steve Yoder, lasted a full decade at the school despite records of 128-165 overall and—for the love of cheddar—50-130 in the conference. And that's what the great Bo Ryan's retirement Tuesday night made me think about. Not about Yoder, specifically, or even about my own forgettable experiences watching those awful Badgers teams, but rather about the utter irrelevance and invisibility of Wisconsin basketball for so long. And, of course, about how great Bucky fans have it now, and did for 14-plus seasons on Ryan's watch.
No, my head isn't entirely buried in the past. How could it be? The present has been so much better. The Final Fours in 2014 and 2015 were off-the-charts exciting. The four Big Ten titles—at a school that hadn't finished first in the league since 1947—were testaments to Ryan's excellence.
But the achievement that stands above the rest will always be Ryan's run of 14 Big Ten top-four finishes in 14 seasons. Ask Tom Izzo how hard that is. Or Bobby Knight, Gene Keady, Lou Henson, Jud Heathcote...
Or come to think of it, don't bother. Because none of them ever did it. Only Ryan did.
Year
Record
Standing
2001-02
11-5
T-1st
2002-03
12-4
1st
2003-04
12-4
T-2nd
2004-05
11-5
3rd
2005-06
9-7
T-4th
2006-07
13-3
2nd
2007-08
16-2
1st
2008-09
10-8
T-4th
2009-10
13-5
4th
2010-11
13-5
3rd
2011-12
12-6
4th
2012-13
12-6
T-4th
2013-14
12-6
T-2nd
2014-15
16-2
1st
"He is a legend," Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said during Ryan's press conference Tuesday night.
I admit to getting a kick out of the fact Ryan seems to have been underestimated one final time. The guy who made Madison a road trip from hell for opposing teams, who made his Badgers teams' "boring" style totally cool, who contended year after year in a top conference despite plenty of reasons that shouldn't have been possible—that guy just showed us the mother of all examples of going out on his own terms.
In a nutshell, Ryan wanted longtime assistant Greg Gard to succeed him, but Alvarez—the Don of Wisconsin sports—preferred to mull the issue and arrive at his own decision in due time, thank you very much. So what did Ryan do? Rather than retire at season's end, he forced Gard on Alvarez. Mind you, Alvarez, the architect of the modern era of Wisconsin football, is a legend himself in Madison. Yet Ryan more than stood his ground, as only a comparatively transformative figure at the school could.
"I wanted to give Coach Gard plenty of time to get the guys ready and get them into the position where, as a head coach, he has a chance to take a run at the job," Ryan said during the press conference. "That's the way this business is. Coach Gard will have that chance."
Also, I admit to having much concern about Gard's—or anyone else's—chances to sustain Ryan's success. This season's team is 7-5 and clearly far inferior to the Final Four squads of Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker.
Will Gard shepherd the Badgers to a 15th straight top-four finish in the Big Ten? At this point, it doesn't look good. After that, it'll be a matter of Gard, or a different successor hired by Alvarez, attempting to be like Bo; that is, to consistently perform at as high a level as any coach in the country.
It's quite the tall order.
Ryan wasn't the first coach to take Wisconsin to soaring heights. Dick Bennett, who led the Badgers to the 2000 Final Four, laid a solid foundation and proved winning was possible in Madison. Yet even Bennett's five full seasons on the job came with mitigated success; his teams were only 39-45 in conference play, for example. What Ryan did boggles the mind. Clearly, he stands alone.
Much as Alvarez stands alone in Wisconsin football annals. Bret Bielema—ironically, Alvarez's hand-picked successor—came close, but his three Rose Bowl-losing seasons pale in comparison to Alvarez's three Rose Bowl-winning ones. Gary Andersen did OK in his brief stay. Paul Chryst? We'll see. Chances are, Chryst will do better than 9-35, which was Wisconsin's football record over my four years there.
Realistically speaking, the fans will be thrilled if the basketball program ebbs only as much post-Ryan as the football program did post-Alvarez.
Yes, Ryan's departure is a real blow, but who am I kidding? Over 14-plus unforgettable seasons, he made my school matter in basketball. Because of him, the Badgers are more relevant than ever. Due in large part to his brilliance, Wisconsin is a giant among the nation's sports schools.
Disappointed? Not at all. I've seen how bad it can be. Just thankful.
Steve Greenberg has covered college sports for nearly 20 years, namely for theSporting News and the Chicago Sun-Times.
Bo Ryan Retires: Twitter Reacts to Wisconsin Head Coach's Announcement
Dec 16, 2015
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Milwaukee Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
Wisconsin Badgers basketball coach Bo Ryan turned his program into one of the most consistent winners in the nation since taking over before the 2001-02 season, but he announced his retirement following his team's victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday, per ESPN.com.
Assistant coach Greg Gard will take over in the interim role.
Ryan counts 364 victories on his Wisconsin resume, which makes him the winningest coach in program history. His Badgers teams have never missed the NCAA tournament. Last year's squad upset an undefeated Kentucky team in the Final Four before losing a heartbreaker to Duke in the national title game.
Forward Nigel Hayes is arguably Wisconsin's best player this season and was a critical component of last year's team that reached the title game. He discussed Ryan's decision after Tuesday's victory, per Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal:
Nigel: Bo and I never made eye contact (during lineups) and this game we did. He had the saddest look I’ve ever seen him have."
Attention now turns to what happens next for the Badgers. Along those lines, Polzin shared an interaction between Ryan and athletic director Barry Alvarez:
Bo and Barry Alvarez decided semester was a good time to announce retirement and hand over team to Greg Gard. "To take a run at the job."
Whoever steps in for Ryan will have massive shoes to fill. The only way he will be able to do that is by scoring some early success on the recruiting trail.
Bo Ryan Announces Immediate Retirement as Wisconsin Men's Basketball Coach
Dec 15, 2015
Nov 13, 2015; Madison, WI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Bo Ryan talks to the media during the post-game news conference after the game with the Western Illinois Leathernecks at the Kohl Center. Western Illinois defeated Wisconsin 69-67. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Wisconsin men's basketball head coach Bo Ryan announced his retirement Tuesday evening, effective immediately, according to the program's Twitter account.
Ryanaddressed the decision in an official statement released by the school:
After months of conversation with [athletic director] Barry Alvarez and his administrative staff, as well as my wife, Kelly, I have decided that now is the right time to step down from the head coaching position here at Wisconsin.
This was a decision months in the making. I brought this up to Barry back in April. He advised me to take some time to think it over and I appreciated that. But in recent weeks, I have come to the conclusion that now is the right time for me to retire and for Greg Gard to have the opportunity to coach the team for the remainder of the season. I discussed this with Barry and I appreciate him giving me the space to make this decision.
Alvarez said in the statement:
I want to thank Bo Ryan for everything he has done for our athletic department, the state of Wisconsin and certainly the Badgers basketball program. He oversaw an incredible run of sustained success and helped elevate Wisconsin among the nation's elite programs. He is truly a Hall of Fame coach and led our program to the most successful era in school history. He will be missed.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal's Jim Polzin, Ryan and Alvarez agreed this semester would be the best time for Ryan to announce his retirement to give interim head coach Greg Gard an opportunity "to take a run at the job."
Over the summer, Ryan, 67, announced the 2015-16 season would be his last. However, the midseason announcement came as a surprise.
"I'm sure I'll have more to say later, but it's extremely difficult," Ryan said Tuesday night, according to the program's official Twitter account. "I'll see you down the road."
With the door shut on an illustrious coaching career, Ryan leaves the Badgers as the winningest coach in school history with 364 victories to his name. He also captured seven Big Ten titles and led the Badgers to two Final Fours—including a run to the 2015 national championship game against Duke after slaying previously undefeated Kentucky.
"His record speaks for itself," Alvarez said, per Wisconsin's Twitter account. "He's a legend. He's a Hall of Famer. He's won his way at every level."
ESPN Stats & Info provided a staggering statistic regarding Ryan's pristine track record:
Bo Ryan went 9-17 in his first season at UW-Platteville, in 1984-85.
He never had a losing season as a head coach again
"He's put our basketball program on the map," Alvarez added, according to Wisconsin's Twitter account. "He's done it in a class way."
Several of Ryan's former players—including Dallas Mavericks point guard Devin Harris and Houston Rockets swingman Sam Dekker—chimed in with their thoughts on Tuesday's announcement:
Exceptional coach but even a better man. Thanks for everything over the years Coach Ryan. Enjoy retirement you deserve it.
Turning an eye to the future, Wisconsin will try to maintain its aggressive, hard-nosed mentality and do Ryan proud under Gard's guidance.
"We have to do our job in terms of helping these young men have the best experience here that can be had," Gard said, according to the program's Twitter account.
Alvarez reiterated Gard will see Wisconsin through until the end of the season, at which point the school will make a determination regarding his future as head coach.
But as ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello noted, Wisconsin is in a tight spot when it comes to building for the future sans Ryan:
From a recruiting perspective, Wisconsin has zero commitments in the 2016 class and one (Kobe King) in the 2017 class.
Playing in arguably the nation's toughest conference, Wisconsin is now facing an uphill battle as it seeks to attract top-tier high school talent to Madison without the man who built the program into a national power.
It will take some time for Wisconsin to adjust as Ryan transitions into retirement, but the Badgers will look to carry on his legacy and maintain a winning culture in the years to come.
Wisconsin Badgers vs. Marquette Golden Eagles: Score, Highlights and Analysis
Dec 12, 2015
Marquette guards Wally Ellenson (22) and Duane Wilson (1) react in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona State in the Legends Classic championship, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, in New York. Marquette defeated Arizona State 78-73. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
In the 122nd installment of the I-94 rivalry matchup between the Marquette Golden Eagles and the Wisconsin Badgers, Marquette edged out an impressive road win at the Kohls Center to extend their season winning streak to seven games.
Marquette forward Henry Ellenson, freshman, played magnificently against a Wisconsin Badgers team that persistently chose to double-team him during the game. Ellenson finished the game with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.
Wisconsin struggled early in the game, but managed to mount a comeback late in the second half to tie the game at 55 apiece with under a minute to go. Wisconsin forward Nigel Hayes started out 1-for-9 from the floor, but made some critical buckets late—including the shot to tie the game—in Wisconsin’s late second half surge.
The field goal shooting percentage was the starkest disparity in the game: Marquette shot a stellar 52.2 percent from the floor, along with 60 percent from behind the stripe, while the Badgers were only able to connect on 36.4 percent of their shots. Both teams converted on 24 of their field goal attempts, but Wisconsin attempted 20 more shots than Marquette did.
Vitto Brown came up huge for Wisconsin, filling the stat sheet up with 15 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals. However, most of his damage was inflicted in the first half, and it was clear that Marquette had a game plan in place coming out of the break to try and limit Brown’s looks.
With the win, Marquette improves to 8-2 on the season and will return home to face Chicago State (3-7) on Monday, December 21.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, drops to 6-5 this season (4-3 at home) and will look to rebound against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6-2) on Tuesday, December 15.
Both teams can take away a lot from this game, in terms of shooting, playmaking, protecting the ball, etc.
The fundamentals.
Marquette was efficient; Wisconsin was sloppy. Marquette proved that they can finish out a game strong; Wisconsin buried themselves early.
As the season progresses expect Wisconsin to adjust and improve in these areas, especially with legendary head coach Bo Ryan at the helm. But, in the meantime, Ellenson’s postgame remarks seem to be ringing true.
Right now, the best team in Wisconsin is the Marquette Golden Eagles.
Wisconsin 55, Marquette 57
Final
Andy Van Vliet Ruled Ineligible by NCAA: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction
Nov 17, 2015
Wisconsin Badgers center Andy Van Vliet was hoping to make a seamless transition onto the NCAA hardwood from Belgium this season, but the association has ruled him ineligible for the 2015-16 season.
The Badgers announced the unfortunate news regarding Van Vliet's status on Tuesday:
As is implied in the team's statement, Van Vliet played for another team before arriving stateside, serving a brief stint with the Port of Antwerp Giants, a Belgian club team, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jeff Potrykus.
Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal reported Wisconsin has already attempted to appeal Van Vliet's eligibility, which means the talented international product of Canarias Basketball Academy won't be able to suit up.
Although he initially opted not to attend college, Van Vliet spoke about how important academics were to him following his commitment to Wisconsin, per Scout.com's Benjamin Worgull:
I had a chance to meet a lot of people, including Chancellor Blank, the Dean of Students and the chair of the student department, and they really made me aware of what a great academic school this is. That's something that's really important to me as well. I know there is life after basketball, and I want to be fully prepared for that. From what I have seen, the academic part at Wisconsin is really good.
However, he will have to settle for being a 21-year-old sophomore when he makes his Badgers debut.
WisSports.net's Travis Wilson was among those displeased with Tuesday's verdict:
So recap, players can go to joke HS's, "academies", & prep schools w/ no penalty, but a good student like Van Vliet loses yr of eligibility.
Listed at 6'10" and 188 pounds by 247Sports, Van Vliet is the type of finesse, skilled big man Badgers head coach Bo Ryan covets. Frank Kaminsky, who proceeded to be a lottery draft pick for the Charlotte Hornets, is a great example of such a player to come through Madison.
This is a big blow to a Wisconsin team that lost five of its top seven scorers from last year's squad, which advanced to the Final Four, knocked off a previously undefeated Kentucky team and fell to Duke in the national title game.
With the entire 2015-16 campaign off and time to add strength in the weight room, one can bet Van Vliet will come out fired up to play next season. His absence will definitely be tough for the Badgers to overcome, though, as they try to compensate for the loss of Kaminsky and Sam Dekker in the frontcourt.
Bo Ryan to Retire After 2015-16 Season: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction
Jun 29, 2015
Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan watches his team play Michigan during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, in Madison, Wis. Michigan upset Wisconsin, 77-70. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
University of Wisconsin head basketball coach Bo Ryan's Hall of Fame-worthy career will come to an end following the 2015-16 season, as the 67-year-old announced his intention to retire Monday.
Ryan, who led the Badgers to the national championship game against Duke this past season, released a statement through Wisconsin Basketball on Twitter and revealed his wish to have assistant Greg Gard take over as head coach following his retirement:
Gard has served under Ryan for the head coach's entire tenure at Wisconsin. Despite Ryan's desire to have Gard take over after next season, Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino is reportedly a target for the school, according to Patrick Reusse of ESPN 1500.
While Ryan didn't give a definitive reason for his decision, ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman reports that it is not health related.
Ryan's most recent season was his best, as he led Wisconsin to a 36-4 record and the Big Ten Conference championship, although it ended on a sour note as his team couldn't best the Tyus Jones-led Blue Devils to win the national title.
He will have one more opportunity to reign supreme over the college basketball world, but with star players Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker now in the NBA, Jon Rothstein of CBSSports.com is skeptical of the Badgers' chances:
Bo Ryan's final season will be a challenging one. Wisconsin lost three starters from back-to-back Final Four teams. Need people to emerge.
Regardless of whether Ryan is able to close his career on top, ESPN.com's Andy Katz believes a significant honor is on the horizon for the longtime coach:
Bo Ryan didn't get into the Hall of Fame last April. I'll be stunned if it doesn't happen within the next two years.
There is no question that Ryan will leave Wisconsin's basketball program better than he found it, as it has achieved unprecedented success under his watch, according to Bill Michaels of The Bill Michaels Show in Wisconsin:
Before Bo Ryan took over @ #Wisconsin in 2002, #Badgers went to NCAA tourney a TOTAL of 7 times. They have gone 14 straight yrs under Ryan
The Chester, Pennsylvania, native previously served as the head coach at Wisconsin-Platteville and Milwaukee before joining Wisconsin in 2001.
In 14 seasons with the Badgers, he has registered a 357-125 record, qualified for the NCAA tournament every year and reached the Final Four in each of the past two campaigns.
He has helped develop Wisconsin into a national power and perennial contender. While replacing what Ryan brings to the table as a recruiter and motivator won't be easy, he has laid the groundwork for the Badgers to remain near the top of college basketball.
