witnessthewest

@HellerSports @GregGard @BadgerMBB I appreciate Coach Gard’s candor. We are in good hands with him. You could hear the agony in his voice about the loss. I’m trying to understand how UW could be bottom half of league in NIL? Don’t all B10 teams get same share from league? So then only difference would be donors?

Just had a very open and revealing conversation with @GregGard talking about the @BadgerMBB program, the NCAA Tournament loss, the Transfer Portal, spending levels and the state of College Basketball. Watch here... or on YouTube or download wherever you get your podcasts

@Evan_Flood @TheFamily_bball Would Wisconsin have interest? And vice versa?

Was teammates with John Blackwell on @TheFamily_bball

@braden_burcham_ McCollum went 10-10 in the Big Ten then got hot

Top 5 CBB Coaching Jobs This Season‼️ 1. Brad Underwood 2. Tommy Lloyd 3. Dan Hurley 4. Ben McCollum 5. Dan Hurley

@sbell021 Wisconsin vs Kentucky 2015

I’m trying not to be a prisoner of the moment. But Michigan-Arizona in a National Semifinal seems like the biggest matchup at that stage of the tournament in … forever? What matchup am I overlooking?

@THEbadgermaniac I would say that applies to Iowa this year. They got hot and it still took a last second 3 to beat Florida. Defense kept them in the game but also played over their head. Then got a bit of a lucky break playing a Nebraska team that was limited.

We all love the NCAA tournament for the "anything can happen" nature of the event...and yet, it never stops us from creating broad overarching narratives when the reality is often...team got lucky.

@ZachHeilprin @TheSwing_WI @jessetemple Will there hopefully be 1-2 episodes of the swing over next few months? Would be nice to hear an episode after transfer dust settles and maybe a mid-summer episode like the one with Krabbenhoft last July. Love the show

For those interested in such things....We recorded an episode of @TheSwing_WI out here in Portland. Talking about what went wrong today, the March struggles in the last six tournaments, what's next for the #Badgers and more. youtu.be/3tRWFggeqCg

@barryisthedon For example if Gard received an additional $1-mil to spend on his roster, I think the results could generate a return 2x. Does that buy an additional 4-5 wins this past year? I like the chances

@barryisthedon I would say Mac needs to devote SOME more of the football budget to the basketball program. Greg Gard has shown he has capability to get great value relative to the money received. I can’t say that I trust Fickell to use money wisely.

Have we been too hard on Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh? My new podcast dives in, sport by sport, to take a look youtu.be/O7gjIQvW8G8?si…

@EliotClough I don’t know how many athletic bigs or wings are going to want to play that low possession/grind it out style. Wisconsin played same style for 20+ years and could never get athletes because of it. Plus he’s going to have to portal to replace Stirtz

Ben McCollum shared last night after Iowa’s Elite Eight loss that he and the staff will be actively seeking a center in the transfer portal: “We need some size. … We just don’t have a true five.”

@BadgerMBBVC Utah State must have a billionaire booster that loves CBB. Why else would he take that job when he has had bigger opportunities over the years?

I’d love to see what a timeline where NIL and funding weren’t an issue…our current timeline has led to plenty of I can’t believe that happened moments - add this to the list.

@John_Fanta Slow down game is BORING

The defensive game plan from Ben McCollum has been superb. Iowa has done as good of a job that you can do on the Illinois shooters. Hawkeyes and the Illini going down to the wire for the first Final Four ticket? Yes please.

@NicoleAuerbach No one mentions Bo Ryan. The first to do it

With the success of Curt Cignetti, Ben McCollum, etc., you’d think athletic directors would look for the coaches finding great success at the lower levels of college sports …

@FSKPart3 @dekker I agree Frank. Gard is so under appreciated it’s crazy. Storr/Tonje/Boyd were not household names until Gard took their games to new heights

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the absolute worst takes I’ve ever seen on the internet.

@SethDavisHoops Tournament has SUCKED so far. No Cinderella’s and few buzzer beaters

High Point passing the eye test these first 10 minutes. This day needs some DRAMA

@jeffborzello Yeah this years tournament sucks

Not only are there just four double-digit seeds left, not only did all favorites win yesterday, the games haven’t been particularly close. Per ESPN Research, the average margin of victory in the first round was 17.4 points, the highest since the tournament expanded in 1985.

@RoccoMiller8 Least shocking thing ever

Free Throw difference in pure points: Duke 20 TCU 3

@SethDavisHoops This tournament sucks. No upsets other than High Point who hit crazy shots to win by one

Two huge threes by Sarr and now Duke has some breathing room. 20-6 run by the Blue Devils.

@JimPolzinWSJ Love this team and love Coach Gard. Ending sucked but look at the circus shots they hit

It's hard to find the right word to describe the level of success the #Badgers achieved this season. Nick Boyd disagrees, but this wasn't a great team. Don't believe me? Check out Greg Gard's contract. My column from Portland following another gut punch: #tracking-source=home-top-story" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">badgerextra.com/commentary/col…

@ZachHeilprin @TheSwing_WI I love Gard and love this team. Where do they go from here? Any chance of Winter or Blackwell returning? Gard is amazing at identifying portal talent but he’s batting 1000% with Storr, Tonje, Boyd. How can he keep it up?

New episode of @TheSwing_WI coming. Send your #Badgers questions.

@ZachHeilprin He’s right. They hit about 5 absolutely ridiculous shots and they needed every one of them

Greg Gard didn't think Wisconsin played poorly today. “That’s the blessing and the curse of this tournament. It’s one game. If you run into a team that’s playing really, really well, and you have a miscue here or there, this is the result.”