2015-16 UW Badger Basketball Discussion Thread

[KidA24]

In my previous post I forgot another 'easy' game at home vs ILL. Get all those and you're 10-8 in a tough conference. Really that should be enough, unless a suprise loss to a crap team in the B1G tourney.

I may be a bit biased, and this is full-well knowing that they have 2 or 3 terrible losses on the schedule, but I am a bit surprised by the bracketologists not being too excited about 10-8 getting them in.

Part of it has to do with the fact that there is so much parity, that the bubble is going to just be littered with teams that have a similar record and everyone is going to have a few "big" wins with all of the softer teams in the top 10.

All of that said, this team just looks worthy (barring collapse) now and I feel like they'll be selected over some of the other fodder that is sitting on the bubble if they can get to 10-8.

A nice win would erase some of those early season sins, but even though the committee won't admit putting less weight on the early season, this seems to be a case where they objectively will somewhat waive the trash loss to WIU given the early season circumstances and how they look now.

Considering the committee already said they were taking into account how one school was without their coach for 9 games, (meaning Syracuse) I'd be really angry if they didn't do the same thing with Wisconsin.

Bo Ryan: 7-5, with 3 bad losses (Western ILL, UWM, Marquette)

Gard: 7-4, with 1 bad loss (Northwestern).

Problem is they only have 1 win vs top 25 RPI teams. They need 1 or 2 more of those to get in, really.

[Kerb Hohl]

33 minutes left, but no idea how we are even down by a point. Nebraska looks pathetic. We are getting any shot we want.

[Kerb Hohl]

Well this is depressing.

[Kerb Hohl]

The prophecy has been completed. Win at least 3 of 7 and see what happens.

[DingleJerry]

Road games vs MD and MSU up next. Win one and they're almost assured to be in.

[Nebula1]

Get it done on the road.

[Turk Nowitzki]

Road games vs MD and MSU up next. Win one and they're almost assured to be in.

Assuming they take care of business in the other games they're supposed to win(Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota) I agree, but we're not good enough to count any game as an automatic win imo.

[Kerb Hohl]

At this point, I feel like it's about 95% Gard's job. Bennett wanting to leave (unlikely) is the only possible way I see it not going to Gard.

[MikeIsGood]

Was just talking to my dad about that last night after the game. Short of Barry being approached by some superstar coach asking to come coach at Wisconsin, I feel Gard has the job locked up. So, essentially, it's 100% his. My two cents.

[humanrefutation]

I still think Gard needs to impress down the stretch and into the tournament to keep the job. Barry is going to want to bring in his own guy. Gard needs to force Barry to keep him on.

[PkrsBcksGphsMqt]

I still think Gard has to make the tourney (looking increasingly likely btw) to keep the job.

[Kerb Hohl]

You don't necessarily hire a coach on a 5-7 game stretch (yes, I know some of them are tough challenges and that's what you guys are saying). If Alvarez doesn't have a good read already, that's not good...unless the team implodes. He can put some icing on the cake with good performances against the tough teams.

I don't claim to know the entire college bball landscape of coaches, but I don't see a better fit. Marshall, Miller, etc are not coming, Bennett is the only reasonable idea.

Guys like Jacobson just seem redundant. I'll take Gard if that's the option.

-He plays a hybrid Bennett/Bo style
-Don't have to worry about a hiccup in change of style with a less familiar new coach
-You get 20 years of stability as this is his destination job (like Chryst)
-People mention he's winning a bunch of games that he "should" so far. A crappy coach would be choking these games away with a flawed team.

Now I will sit back and listen to people present a bunch of unrealistic alternatives that aren't coming here or will use UW as a stepping stone.

Finally, I don't think Barry is going to have/want "his" guy in basketball. Football, maybe, but the results are speaking for themselves in basketball. He has to pay lip service to a major search due to the fact that he at least will have to wait to post the job.

[Bernman]

There should be approximately 10 games left, including the tourneys. And hiring a guy off 22 games is more sensible than hiring him off 12. We have until the end of the season anyway. We don't lose anything from just letting things play out, outside of maybe one recruit. Which would be worth it if it makes us more secure in our choice before we lock up a guy long-term or pass on another really attractive candidate.

Making the tournament is not too much to ask at this point. We win the ones we should, and we're in. If we don't, it changes the conversation a bit. We also don't know how well he can recruit yet. If he lands a Rakocevic level guy before the offseason, or during it, that helps his argument somewhat too (could be a packaged deal of sorts). Compensate for losing to Michigan (for example). We should take into account all the information once it's compiled. Otherwise, what was this trial orchestrated by Bo all for? We can get virtually shut out the rest of the way, or pull a bunch of upsets, and it's all the same?

[Kerb Hohl]

There should be approximately 10 games left, including the tourneys. And hiring a guy off 22 games is more sensible than hiring him off 12. We have until the end of the season anyway. We don't lose anything from just letting things play out, outside of maybe one recruit. Which would be worth it if it makes us more secure in our choice before we lock up a guy long-term or pass on another really attractive candidate.

Making the tournament is not too much to ask at this point. We win the ones we should, and we're in. If we don't, it changes the conversation a bit. We also don't know how well he can recruit yet. If he lands a Rakocevic level guy before the offseason, or during it, that helps his argument somewhat too (could be a packaged deal of sorts). We should take into account all the information once it's compiled. Otherwise, what was this trial orchestrated by Bo all for? We can get virtually shut out the rest of the way, or pull a bunch of upsets, and it's all the same?

Rakocevic is a headcase...I'm not going to use him as a good example of recruiting chops, but I do get your idea.

I think Gard did a lot of the recruiting later on in Bo's tenure anyways and Barry knows if he can or cannot (I'd assume he can).

I agree there is nothing wrong with waiting. State law says they HAVE to wait to make it official. No reason not to wait until the season finishes, regardless.

Assuming he doesn't implode and even goes 3-4 with this squad that looked doomed earlier, I just don't see any better options.

I was down on Chryst a bit early but I've seen the light. You get a guy that has found his destination job and plays a style that has worked for 20 years. Sign him up.

You snoop around looking for a girlfriend/wife for years. Yeah, that 9 across the bar that's a socialite that you date for awhile seems great...but her personality doesn't fit with you and she may have her eye on better options than you. Take attractive girl next door look girl that is the perfect match personality-wise and enjoy it.

If Archie Miller or somebody like that honestly wants to come and wouldn't be just waiting for the next big job if he did...I'll eat my hat. We've already seen it with football. We can either get a questionable style fit, a young gun looking for his next gig, or the safe coach that has found his destination job.

[Bernman]

Soderberg was from Wisconsin. He wanted to stay at the program. He got off to a hot start, where he won his first 8 games, including vs. Indiana, Marquette, Xavier, and Temple. Then he proceeded to go 8-10 in his last 18, including losing in the 1st rd of each tourney. Richter canned the interim coach for Bo, and the rest is history as they say. Bo was a good hire, and Soderberg was a good fire. He struggled in his subsequent job at St. Louis.

Now, I'm not saying I think Gard is the next Soderberg. What I am saying is, honeymoon effects happen, and when Soderberg had that winning streak many in Madison were probably thinking we should keep that guy. So how Gard finishes will say something about him as a coach, that should have implications on if he's retained. Can't go in like a lion (for the most part) and out like a lamb. Gotta march steadily to that finish line at least. And I don't think it's too much to ask either for him to beat someone decent in the BTT or NCAA's (unlike Soderberg) to feel comfortable with the hire. Then we can move on to the new gard.

[Kerb Hohl]

Sure...fair. I didn't realize that Soderberg had as much previous experience as he did, but Gard has basically been Bo's understudy for 20 years...associate head coach for 7. I think he was basically running things from a day-to-day standpoint for the last few as some guys that used to manage the team told me. We'll see.

[DingleJerry]

Right, Gard has been integral to the building of this program the last 15 years. It's not like he just stepped in at the end to take over. He has been the main recruiter the last several years, heck probably even more involved than Bo really. Most importantly, he understands how to recruit to UW and this system. A new guy isn't going to understand the academics and non-cheating way of doing things the way it is required at UW. Gard has been navigating those waters for years and maybe being a younger guy and not having the older curmudgeon type in Bo involved will help in the recruiting. It's well known Bo hated the recruiting aspects (having to beg a 17 yr old and tell him how great he is, etc). The top recruit for 2017 is basically tied to Gard and has said as much, all the instate guys in the next few years have basically said they're in if UW wants them as long as Gard is coach. The Hauser kid from Stevens Point being the exception since his bro is going to Marquette.

As far as the state law posting thing brought up. There's no reason they can't post the job right now, wait the two weeks and announce Gard when the time is up. There isn't really a rush as this year only has one scholarship and all higher level options have been wasted due to the coaching saga already, so you're just getting a so so guy anyway.

[Kerb Hohl]

I think they're sitting on 2 scholarships right now with Dearring transferring (they gave one to Smith, the senior, I think to finish out the year). They will probably pick someone up in the spring. They may need to get a PG transfer or just get a late one. They seem to still be going after '16 SFs, which is a bit odd. They need PG depth.

[Bernman]

Jeter had 11 years under Bo, was credited for his recruiting, given the endorsement, and has proceeded to be mediocre for Milwaukee over the years. Ironically too, the program was put on probation for apr scores, even though Milwaukee has considerably lower academic standards for athletes.

I like what I've seen thus far from Gard, between bringing back some of the old principles to improve consistency, shooting, and reduce impact of lack of length, as well as allowing players to be a bit freer than Bo did on both ends to express themselves and make a mistake, but it is indeed a good thing like "BadgersBucks" said that we are in no position to be compelled to rush this decision.

[DingleJerry]

Yea I think going to Milwaukee is a little different than a major program. And Jeter was only at UW for a few years, wasn't here for the whole build that Bo/Gard pulled off.

Right, I forgot about the Dearring extra scholly. They struck out on all high level PGs due to the coaching situation. So yea they'll probably toss one to a so so PG prospect and one to the SF/PFs they've been in on, then focus on PG the year after. I suppose it help somewhat that Hill has been OK since being allowed to play, gives some depth behind BK. Also, they're now assured 100% BK isn't going pro this year like was an outside chance prior to the season.