Greg Gard on Wisconsin’s ascension: ‘I hope we’re not peaking’

Wisconsin has won its last five games and has been climbing the conference standings during that stretch. They’re 11-4 overall in Big Ten action and are currently 1.5 games back from the top spot.

After the Badgers’ latest victory, a 95-74 blowout against Illinois in Madison, head coach Greg Gard attempted to keep his players down to Earth as they approach the final five-game stretch of the regular season.

“You want to keep getting better. There are areas that we need to keep getting better at. And, that is individually, and that is also collectively,” Gard said. “So, I hope we’re not peaking. I hope we are still ascending, so I don’t want to hit the peak yet. But, we’re not because we got to get better.”

Wisconsin averaged 94.5 points per game during their last two games at Purdue and vs. Illinois. Wisconsin guard John Tonje was been nearly unguardable over that stretch, scoring 32 points in the win against the Boilermakers, and 31 against the Fighting Illini.

After the Badgers defeated then-No. 7 Purdue 94-84 on the road, there was some concern that there could be a drop-off in production against the Illini, a team that was ranked earlier in the month, but Gard’s group managed to push through to earn a fifth consecutive victory.

“I thought we would respond well, but, Saturday was such a physical game, going through the tape a couple of times,” Gard continued. “Obviously emotional, when you play really well on the road, at a really hard place to win, against a really good team. So, I think the maturity really stepped up and stepped in again.”

Their latest victory improves them to 21-5 overall on the season, and are now 13-1 at home. They’ve now won six of their last seven on top of their five-game win streak.

Next up for the Badgers is another homestand against Oregon on Saturday afternoon beginning at Noon ET live on FOX.

They’ll stay at home for their final game of February, hosting Washington to round out the month. They finish the regular season with a three-game stretch in March at No. 14 Michigan State, at Minnesota and vs. Penn State.

Ken Pom predicts Wisconsin to win four of their last five matchups. The exception is Wisconsin’s road trip to East Lansing on March 2. Ken Pom predicts the Spartans to win by one point during the matchup.

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