College Basketball Thread 2015-16

[patrickgpe]

big news out of Madison, Bo Ryan will retire after next season with the hopes of Greg Gard taking over.

 

 

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Here's a link to the last couple of pages to last year's thread in case anyone would like to continue any previous discussion:

 

viewtopic.php?f=67&t=31906&start=360

[brwrsfan]

Yeah, I really believe he would have retired with a national title win last year. Now he probably doesn't want that to be his last memory as a coach. Great coach...might be the best WI ever gets.

 

I'd be pretty surprised if Gard doesn't get it. He's been here forever and is the top recruiter. I'm sure there will be plenty of Tony Bennett rumors, but I just have a hard time seeing him leave UVA at this point. Smart would have been cool too but he just left this year so I can't see that happening either.

[tmwiese55]

Smart wouldn't be a fit. He plays an uptempo full court press that requires athleticism, it would be completely starting over. And frankly we can't get the amount of athleticism needed to run that system admitted to UW academically. Gard and Bennett do the same basic system and understand the unique academic situation UW is in. Either works for me, I'd be shocked if it's not Gard though as he'll be much cheaper and UW is cheap, plus he's earned it.

[patrickgpe]

I think badger fans probably have too high expectations on the next coach, i don't think it will be Bennett or Smart, and I am sure Barry will take a Wisconsin guy in Gard, just like what he did with Chyrst. Bo will have a large say in his replacement i feel and he already made his desires known.

 

Its why i never though Smart was coming to Marquette, and he wouldn't leave a school with its own network for Wisconsin.

[superfly]

IDK, Wisconsin has become a powerhouse of sorts. This job is way more attractive than it was say, 24 months ago. Seems to me that Bo posturing Gard today means there might be a little dissent in the ranks over whether he should be the coach and Bo is getting out in front of it.

 

Maybe i'm all wet, and i'd lay the odds on Gard getting the job, but it wouldn't surprise me either if a higher profile guy surfaces at some point as a contender.

[LouisEly]

Well, I'd say that Tony Bennett is a higher-profile guy. However, I'd bet that three people interview for it - Gard, Bennett, and Rob Jeter (or perhaps some other token minority candidate). UW is strongly pushing diversity right now, so I'd be surprised if a minority is not interviewed.

 

Given the budget cuts, I'd take Gard as the favorite. If they can get Gard at $750K (versus Ryan's $2M plus or similar for Bennett), UW will gladly put that $1.25M towards retaining faculty or research.

[Baldkin]

I'm sure they'll interview a minority candidate, but if it's Jeter I'll lose all respect for Barry. Jeter has no business even stepping into the Kohl Center with how horribly he's done at UWM -- including being banned from the post season for failing academically (kind of a big deal at Wisconsin).

 

I hope they think outside the box, but we shall see.

[owbc]

I don't want Bennett, Virginia is like the mid-2000s Bo Ryan teams--elite defensively but brutal to watch on the offensive end. It's not surprising that they have been upset in the tournament the last few years. I'm willing to give Gard a chance...I also wonder if Bo will hang around the program for a while like Gene Keady did.

[bjkrautk]

I don't want Bennett, Virginia is like the mid-2000s Bo Ryan teams--elite defensively but brutal to watch on the offensive end. It's not surprising that they have been upset in the tournament the last few years.

 

Therein lies the key question: is Tony Bennett dogmatically attached to that style of basketball, or do they play that style because it gives them the best chance to win with the talent he has? Dick Bennett played that style ball because he couldn't get the elite tier of prospects to come to Wisconsin. Bo's long-term success has meant they have been able to bring in a higher tier of athletic talent, which gave Bo the flexibility to open things up on both ends of the court. Moving from the UW-Fieldhouse to the Kohl Center (towards the end of the Bennett era) was also a quality-of-life improvement for student athletes. If you give the keys to the new Kingdom to Tony - who has NBA experience, and has built a Top 25 team in a power conference - I don't think you should expect him to keep bringing in the type of players his dad used to.

 

Conversely, how much of that recruiting is Bo's contribution to the program vs. how much of the work is being done by Greg Gard and the other assistants?

[owbc]

Therein lies the key question: is Tony Bennett dogmatically attached to that style of basketball, or do they play that style because it gives them the best chance to win with the talent he has? Dick Bennett played that style ball because he couldn't get the elite tier of prospects to come to Wisconsin. Bo's long-term success has meant they have been able to bring in a higher tier of athletic talent, which gave Bo the flexibility to open things up on both ends of the court. Moving from the UW-Fieldhouse to the Kohl Center (towards the end of the Bennett era) was also a quality-of-life improvement for student athletes. If you give the keys to the new Kingdom to Tony - who has NBA experience, and has built a Top 25 team in a power conference - I don't think you should expect him to keep bringing in the type of players his dad used to.

 

Conversely, how much of that recruiting is Bo's contribution to the program vs. how much of the work is being done by Greg Gard and the other assistants?

 

All excellent points. However, I don't think Dekker/Kaminsky/Hayes/Koenig are that much better athletically than the Butch/Taylor/Tucker group from the late 2000s. The two groups play similar defensively but more recently Wisconsin has opened up a little more offensively and not relied as much on the swing. It seems that Kaminsky's inside-out game made a huge difference--but maybe the 2007 team would have gone farther if Butch doesn't get injured. Who knows.

 

Bennett's proven success in a top-tier conference is definitely a plus. I have no doubt he could come to Wisconsin and be successful, assuming he would want the job. I still favor Gard, knowing his recruiting ability and the fact that the program is in excellent shape right now.

[CheezWizHed]

Its always hard for someone to follow a very successful person in that same position. So it may be best for Gard to step into that role. Then if he flops, they can pursue Bennett.

 

Better for Gard to continue what Bo started. And if he doesn't have the stuff, Bennett comes in as the one to make changes.

[tmwiese55]

BJ makes some good points. I generally agree and will add to it. I think one thing people don't remember accurately about Bo is that he played relatively wide open back in the Harris through Butch type era. He really only slowed it down to a slog during the Jordan Taylor era because he had no talent besides Taylor (Bruzsiwitz/Evans were just brutal). Then the last two years he was able to open it up again. Yes the pace still isn't high but they weren't draining every possession down to the end of the clock like in the Taylor years. During the Harris/Tucker years those guys were basically free to do whatever they want and the majority of the Harris offense his last two years were simple ball screens with Wilkinson. Not really the swing, just like the last two years weren't really the swing.

 

The question would be whether Bennett has that same flexibility? We don't really know but at UVA he faces similar academic restraints we do so he understands what he'd be getting into

[GAME05]

Hometown ties are great and all, but Wisconsin really isn't a step up from Bennett's position at Virginia.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

I know that he's outside the circle of names being kicked around, but I'd think that Archie Miller from Dayton would be worth interviewing as a replacement for Bo Ryan. Shown himself to be a successful coach at the mid-major level. Midwestern guy with time spent at Ohio State as an assistant. Just signed a contract extension, so it would take a buyout.

[fondybrewfan]

Very dormant thread but holy cow has UW improved under Gard. Completely dismantled the #2 team on the road. THey are surely on the right side of the bubble for now but to be safe they need to beat the teams they are supposed to and win a game or two in the BTT tourney. Didn't see this coming.

 

ON the flipside it is awfully disappointing that we aren't going to see Marquette in the tourney this year. There one year with Ellenson is being wasted. They need to win the BE tournament to make it in all likelihood.

 

Also Diamond Stone is a punk and Grayson Allen is a punk and traveled.

[pacopete4]

Just an awesome game last night for Wisconsin. Played a TEAM game once again and completely shutdown one of the best in the nation. It was truly needed because it feels as though they are looking for reasons to keep Wisconsin out. I'm really excited to see how they do in their next two games because I'll be at the Iowa-Wisconsin game on the 24th. If they can knock off Mich. St. on the road and take care of Illinois at home, that Iowa game will be absolutely amazing to be at. No one gives this team a chance and Gard is quietly making them a dangerous factor for the Big Ten Tourney and March Madness. Love it!

[Menotti80]

Also Diamond Stone is a punk and Grayson Allen is a punk and traveled.

 

 

Full disclosure: I am a duke fan... but how is Allen a punk? You just put him in the same sentence as a guy that smashed another player's head into the ground. Good grief...

[Menotti80]

Also Diamond Stone is a punk and Grayson Allen is a punk and traveled.

 

 

Full disclosure: I am a duke fan... but how is Allen a punk? You just put him in the same sentence as a guy that smashed another player's head into the ground. Good grief...

[fondybrewfan]

Stone and Allen aren't on equal playing fields for being dirty. Stone slammed a guys head into the ground; but Allen had is own dirty play when he deliberately tripped the Louisville player. Plus it is pretty easy to hate on him since he is the next in line to be that next great Duke white guy that everyone hates.

 

Plus he killed UW last year after doing pretty much nothing all year.

[superfly]

This Badgers squad could go deep too. Not quite as talented but Hayes and Happ are really good. They just hit clutch shot after clutch shot yesterday...tons of heart. Sweet 16 and then we'll see where it goes from there depending on matchup.

[PeaveyFury]

I wasn't a Gard believer, but what has happened to this team is remarkable. They probably moved themselves solidly into the Tourney last night, though there are still ways to screw it up by losing to Minnesota or Illinois.

[homer]

This Badgers squad could go deep too. Not quite as talented but Hayes and Happ are really good. They just hit clutch shot after clutch shot yesterday...tons of heart. Sweet 16 and then we'll see where it goes from there depending on matchup.

 

This year is so weird in college hoops. There are literally like 15 teams that could win it all. If they can win @ Maryland the could certainly make a run in the tourney.

[pacopete4]

All about getting hot at the right time. Happ is going to be awesome to see progress.

[superfly]

I wasn't a Gard believer, but what has happened to this team is remarkable. They probably moved themselves solidly into the Tourney last night, though there are still ways to screw it up by losing to Minnesota or Illinois.

 

I thought it'd be a year or two for us, and then we'd be really good (Iverson, Happ, etc), so this surprised me a bit. Illikanen is going to be really good too, but he's more raw ala Kaminsky. I think Bo Ryan deserves one more massive thank you for stepping away and giving us a chance to have Gard. Might end up being his biggest gift. No way Barry can change coaches now barring a total collapse.

[MrTPlush]

Wisconsin should probably focus on making the tourney before talking about a deep run. They have no good road wins outside of Maryland and they have a number of not so great losses on their resume.

 

Not winning against either Iowa or MSU, losing to a few of the bottom dwellers, and an early exit in the conference tourney may not fair to well come decision time.

 

I think they will get in as one of the more scary double digit seeds, but they haven't punched a ticket yet.