Greg Gard isn't making this decision easy for Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez.
After Bo Ryan stepped down in December, Gard took over on an interim basis. Although the expectations were low after Wisconsin's lackluster start to the season, Gard's coaching task wasn't easy. Remember, this group lost the National Player of the Year in Frank Kaminsky, another first-rounder in Sam Dekker -- in addition to current NBA player Duje Dukan, and veterans Josh Gasser and Traevon Jackson.
Gard's first six games? He was 2-4, and there was no shot for him to get the permanent gig.
But it just took some time for the longtime Ryan assistant to figure things out. Since that six-game stretch, the Badgers have reeled off seven straight wins -- including victories against the top three teams in the Big Ten: Michigan State, Indiana and a huge road win in College Park against No. 2 Maryland on Saturday.