Wisconsin basketball delivered a statement with its 92-71 win over No. 10 Michigan State on Friday night. The win is the team’s third against a top-10 opponent this season, following earlier road triumphs over then-No. 2 Michigan and No. 8 Illinois.
Looking at this just season, those three wins have the Badgers in a strong position entering postseason play. The team is rising in NCAA Tournament bracket projections, following a rocky early-season stretch that had it squarely on the bubble.
Advertisement
Big picture, the triumph is Gard’s 18th against a top-10 opponent during his coaching tenure, matching him with program legend Bo Ryan. Gard is 18-26 (.395) in such matchups, while Ryan finished at 18-33 (.353), according to Wisconsin Athletics.
While Gard is still looking to extend his impressive regular-season success to March Madness, his team yet again finds itself peaking at the right time. The group is up to No. 30 in KenPom and No. 32 in ESPN’s Basketball Power Index. It is also nearing a reentry into the AP Top 25.
As the focus turns to March, Wisconsin’s success against top-ranked opponents should make it one of the more dangerous teams in tournament play.
Advertisement
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball Greg Gard Michigan State win Bo Ryan record
