Wisconsin Badgers NCAA Tournament History: A Legacy of Success and Recent Struggles

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball program boasts a rich history and a tradition of consistent success, particularly in the NCAA Tournament. As a member of the Big Ten Conference, the Badgers have established themselves as a formidable force in college basketball. Their home court is the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. With 1,732 wins through the end of the 2024-25 season, Wisconsin ranks among the top 50 all-time in wins among Division I college basketball programs.

Early Years and National Championship

Wisconsin Badger basketball traces its roots back to December 1898, with the formation of its first team coached by Dr. James C. Elsom. The team played its inaugural game on January 21, 1899. In 1905, Christian Steinmetz became the first Wisconsin Badger to be named All-American. The 1906-07 season saw Wisconsin win its first share of the Big Ten Championship, under the guidance of coach Emmett Dunn Angell. Walter Meanwell, who began coaching the Badgers in 1911, led them to undefeated seasons in his first year and in 1913-14. His teams would ultimately win eight Big Ten Championships.

The Badgers achieved their only national championship in 1941, led by coach Bud Foster, tournament MOP John Kotz, and All-American Gene Englund. They defeated Washington State 39-34 in the final game of the NCAA Tournament, marking their first-ever invitation to the tournament after winning the Big Ten Championship that year.

The Bennett and Ryan Eras: A Revival

After decades of mediocrity, the Wisconsin basketball program experienced a resurgence in the 1990s. Dick Bennett, who took over in 1995, led the Badgers to their first winning Big Ten record in 23 years in 1997. In 2000, the Badgers made an unexpected run to the Final Four as an #8 seed.

Following Bennett's abrupt retirement in 2000, Bo Ryan took the helm and ushered in an era of sustained success. During his 15-year tenure, Ryan achieved greater regular-season and NCAA tournament success than the program had seen in the previous 60 years. Since the late 1990s, Wisconsin has become a basketball powerhouse, consistently making appearances in the NCAA Tournament.

Read also: UW-Madison Tuition Requirements

Under Ryan's leadership, the Badgers secured a share of the Big Ten regular-season title in 2001-02, their first since 1947. The 2002-03 season saw Wisconsin win its first outright regular-season conference title in 56 years. In 2004, Wisconsin won the Big Ten tournament for the first time since its inception in 1998. The Badgers earned their first #1 ranking in school history on February 19, 2007. In the 2007-08 season, the Badgers finished first in the Big Ten, winning both the regular season and the conference tournament. Ryan led the Badgers to the school's third undefeated season at home in 2010-11.

Recent Tournament History and Greg Gard Era

Wisconsin basketball is in the NCAA Tournament for the 24th time in the last 26 seasons, excluding 2020's canceled postseason. It is a No. 3 seed in the 2025 edition, set to begin play on Thursday afternoon.

Greg Gard took over as full-time head coach midway through the 2015-16 season, leading a late-season surge that earned him the permanent position. Since then, the Badgers have experienced both highs and lows in the NCAA Tournament.

2015-16: Sweet Sixteen* Round of 64: 47-43 win over Pittsburgh

Round of 32: 66-63 win over Xavier
Sweet 16: 61-56 loss to Notre Dame

The Badgers returned to the second weekend after consecutive Final Four trips in 2014 and 2015. As a No. 7 seed, they defeated No. 10 Pittsburgh and No. 2 Xavier before falling to No. 6-seed Notre Dame in the Sweet 16.

2016-17: Sweet Sixteen* Round of 64: 84-74 win over Virginia Tech

Round of 32: 65-62 win over Villanova
Sweet 16: 84-83 overtime loss to Florida

Wisconsin was on the brink of the Elite Eight in Gard's first full season, but a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Florida's Chris Chiozza in overtime sent the Badgers home. This marks Wisconsin's last Sweet 16 appearance entering 2025.

Read also: GPA Insights: UW-Madison

2017-18: Missed Tournament

Wisconsin went 15-18 in Gard's first full season with mostly his recruits. The departure of key players like Nigel Hayes and Zak Showalter led to a rebuilding year, with underclassmen such as Brad Davison, D'Mitrik Trice, Nate Reuvers, and Aleem Ford taking on larger roles.

2018-19: First-Round Loss* Round of 64: 72-54 loss to Oregon

The Badgers, with a 23-10 record, suffered a 12-over-5 upset in 2019, falling to a strong Oregon Ducks team that went on to reach the Sweet 16.

2019-20: NCAA Tournament Canceled

Wisconsin appeared poised for a March Madness run when the 2020 tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. The Badgers won the Big Ten regular-season title, finishing the campaign on an eight-game win streak. The cancellation remains a significant "what-if" in Greg Gard's tenure.

2020-21: Second-Round Loss* Round of 64: 85-62 win over North Carolina

Round of 32: 76-63 loss to Baylor

Wisconsin opened the tournament with a dominant win over North Carolina but then lost to the top-ranked Baylor Bears. The year marked another program transition, with key players like D'Mitrik Trice, Aleem Ford, Micah Potter, and Nate Reuvers exhausting their eligibility.

2021-22: Second-Round Loss* Round of 64: 67-60 win over Colgate

Round of 32: 54-49 loss to Iowa State

Injuries to stars Johnny Davis and Chucky Hepburn hampered Wisconsin's postseason run in 2022. Despite winning the Big Ten regular-season title, both players were hobbled against a strong Iowa State team. Their health represents another "what-if" in Gard's tenure.

2022-23: Missed Tournament

Wisconsin went 20-15 after Johnny Davis left for the NBA. The team made a deep run in the NIT, falling to North Texas in the semifinal. This season marked the beginning of Wisconsin's heightened transfer portal efforts and a transition to a faster-paced offensive approach.

2023-24: First-Round Loss* Round of 64: 72-61 loss to James Madison

Wisconsin's 2023-24 postseason was a disappointment. After being ranked among the nation's best in late January, the team lost seven of its next nine games and eight of 11 overall to close the season. Despite some success in the Big Ten Tournament, the Badgers fell flat against James Madison.

2024-25: TBD

Wisconsin enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed in the East region, opening against No. 14-seed Montana. The Badgers are well-equipped for a deep run, possessing a strong combination of offensive and defensive efficiency.

All-Time NCAA Tournament Record

The Badgers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 28 times. Their combined record is 41-27. Here’s a breakdown of how the Badgers have fared in their appearances since the tournament expanded in 1985.

Round of 64: 18-6
Round of 32: 10-8
Sweet 16: 4-6
Elite 8: 3-1
Final Four: 1-2
National Championship: 0-1
Overall: 36-24

Prior to 1985, they competed in the tournament two times. Here’s a breakdown of how they fared.

Round of 48: 0-0
Round of 32: 0-0
Round of 24: 0-0
Sweet 16: 0-0
Elite 8: 2-1
Regional third place game: 1-0
National Championship: 1-0
Overall: 4-1

Sweet 16 Record Since 1985

2017 5-seed: L to 4-seed Florida, 84-83 OT
2016 7-seed: L to 6-seed Notre Dame, 61-56
2015 1-seed: W to 4-seed North Carolina, 79-72
2014 2-seed: W to 6-seed Baylor, 69-52
2012 5-seed: L to 1-seed Syracuse, 64-63
2011 4-seed: L to 8-seed Butler, 61-54
2008 3-seed: L to 10-seed Davidson, 73-56
2005 6-seed: W to 10-seed NC State, 65-56
2003 5-seed: L to 1-seed Kentucky, 63-57
2000 8-seed: W to 4-seed LSU, 61-48

Elite 8 Record Since 1985

2015 1-seed: W to 2-seed Arizona, 85-78
2014 2-seed: W to 1-seed Arizona, 64-63 OT
2005 6-seed: L to 1-seed North Carolina, 88-82
2000 8-seed: W to 6-seed Purdue, 64-60

Final Four Record Since 1985

2015 1-seed: W to 1-seed Kentucky, 71-64
2014 2-seed: L to 8-seed Kentucky, 74-73
2000 8-seed: L to 1-seed Michigan State, 53-41

National Championship Game Record

2015 1-seed: L to 1-seed Duke, 68-63

Individual Accolades and Program Milestones

Throughout their history, the Badgers have had several players recognized as All-Americans, including Christian Steinmetz, George Levis, Harold "Bud" Foster, Gene Englund, John Kotz, Don Rehfeldt, Jordan Taylor, and Jon Leuer. The program has also retired three jerseys in its history, honoring outstanding players who have left a lasting impact on Wisconsin basketball. Michael Finley's jersey was retired on February 20, 2022, and Frank Kaminsky's jersey was retired on February 15, 2017.

Looking Ahead

As Wisconsin prepares for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the team faces a challenging yet manageable path. With a blend of offensive and defensive prowess, the Badgers are well-positioned to make a deep run. Star John Tonje has the potential to join the program's all-time greats with a strong performance in the tournament.

The Badgers have a tough road to a deep run. But the team has a golden chance to reverse seven seasons of postseason struggles.

NCAA Tournament Appearances by Year:

1941: Not seeded
1947: Not seeded
1994: 9 seed
1997: 7 seed
1999: 5 seed
2000: 8 seed
2001: 6 seed
2002: 8 seed
2003: 5 seed
2004: 6 seed
2005: 6 seed
2006: 9 seed
2007: 2 seed
2008: 3 seed
2009: 12 seed
2010: 4 seed
2011: 4 seed
2012: 4 seed
2013: 5 seed
2014: 2 seed
2015: 1 seed
2016: 7 seed
2017: 8 seed
2019: 5 seed
2020: Tournament canceled
2021: 9 seed
2022: 3 seed
2024: 5 seed
2025: 3 seed

tags: #uw #madison #ncaa #tournament #history