College Basketball Powerhouse Stunned In Upset Loss, Fans In State Of Shock
Death. Taxes. Greg Gard being a problem in the Big Ten.
Those are three things you can count on in life.
A few days ago, I wrote a lengthy column arguing that the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers deserves to be in the conversation for coach of the year.
I hope you all read it and paid attention because he put on a clinic Saturday on the road against Purdue.
Wisconsin traveled to Purdue and beat the Boilermakers on the road. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wisconsin stuns Purdue on the road.
The Badgers beat seventh-ranked Purdue 94-84 to improve to 20-5 and 10-4 in the Big Ten, and it's the latest sign that Greg Gard is putting on the coaching performance of his life.
These aren't your grandparents' Badgers. Gone are the days of grinding teams down by physically brutalizing them.
Wisconsin is a run and gun team, and I honestly never thought I'd say that.
Wisconsin beat Purdue 94-84 to improve to 20-5. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It's been an unreal season. Nobody thought the Badgers would come close to the postseason after losing Chucky Hepburn and A.J. Storr.
Now, the team is absolutely running through the B1G and a lock for the Big Dance. Reactions from fans are rolling in, and I think I speak for everyone when I say Wisconsin fans can't believe what they're seeing.
Below are some of the reactions flooding Reddit:
- Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the Tonje/Storr trade worked out well for the Badgers.
- I haven’t felt this good about a Wisconsin team this late in the year since the Frank the Tank days. Not saying they are going as far as those teams, but this team can score, can play tough D, and they go 9 deep. There’s a lot to like about this team.
- Victory brats on the way!
- One of the most impressive wins in the Gard era IMO
- John Tonje
- These boys are different
- Secure your seats… the bandwagon is about to get real cozy
- First Big 10 team to 20 wins!
- BELT TO ASS
- This team has something cooking. Incredible 2nd half performance.
- This win was personally cathartic for me. Thank you, Badgers I needed that escape
- 20 Wins and IN, I know some projections called us a lock already but now we really secured it. Looking for a piece of the B1G crown when most predicted us between 12-16th lol. Gard has a case for coach of the year
- Great to see the response from these young men after Kamari got thrown out. Seems like it really lit a fire underneath their asses
- Even more impressive while losing McGee so early. He always provides a spark on both sides of the ball.
- I’m beginning to think Badgers could do some real damage in the Dance.
I've been critical of Gard over the years, and he deserved it at times. Yet, I get paid to call balls and strikes, and the reality of the situation is that the coaching performance he's put on this season is nothing short of spectacular.
Wisconsin lost its two best players……and somehow got much better. The addition of John Tonje has proven to be one of the best recruiting decisions of Gard's career in Madison. That young man is special, even if he only gets a fraction of the praise he deserves.
I told people to pay attention. I hope they listened because after this upset victory, it's going to be impossible to ignore Wisconsin. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.