Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard still enjoys the challenge of coaching, deciphering, and scouting as much as he did five-to-seven years ago.

The problem is communicating with boosters and attending fundraisers to help build the school's name, image, and likeness coffers has taken on a bigger requirement of his time and energy, and diagnosing new out-of-bounds plays.

"You have to evolve and embrace the change," Gard said. "I think we've done a really good job of staying in our own way on the cutting edge."

Gard's willingness to change, especially on the offensive end, is one of the reasons the Badgers are still competing in the NCAA Tournament. Averaging 79.9 points per game, the sixth-highest mark in school history, the best since 1971-72. Wisconsin (27-9) has scored 2,875 points, 25 shy of the school's single-season record (2,900 in 2014-15), and has already set program records for three-point field goals (354) and three-point attempts (1,017), while ranking fourth in free throws (593) and sixth in attempts (717).

So when Wisconsin prepares to play its second-round game against BYU (25-8) and its offense that ranks 10th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, it won't be a completely foreign preparation considering how much the Cougars remind UW of playing against themselves.

"They're really talented, well-coached," guard John Blackwell said. "They won 10 of their last 11. Around this time, that's really good. They're hot right now, all the confidence in the world. It's our job to shut that off, go out there, and give it our all."

Whether Wisconsin wins to advance to its first regional semifinal next Thursday in Newark, N.J., or not, Gard and his staff will be busy dealing with today's college basketball era. The college basketball transfer portal opens on Monday and will remain open until April 22. The topic has been on the minds of the Wisconsin staff for months, so much so that Gard revealed the staff has a list of potential free agents it will contact should they become available.

Wisconsin expects to be active again in the portal after adding three players from other programs last season. The Badgers must replace at least three starters for the second straight season and will graduate six seniors. Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, if the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, the NCAA may allow Division-1 men's basketball programs to increase its scholarship total from the current limit of 13 up to 15.

With three scholarships earmarked to incoming freshmen Hayden Jones, Will Garlock, and Zach Kinziger, UW will have a couple of scholarships to play with. Asked before the Big Ten Tournament if updating the offense has led to positive feedback on the recruiting trail, Gard answered with a resounding 'yes.'

"We've had to evolve," Gard said. "We've evolved off the court. Obviously everything has changed with the portal and NIL. We've also evolved on the court. We've shifted and changed how we play.

"At the same time not forgetting and nor de-emphasizing the pillars of success that we've had over the years. Being fundamentally sound, being tough, being good defensively. I think those are the keys for, first of all, trying to win in the Big Ten consistently year in, year out, then evolving as the game has changed.

"It's become more of a three-point, transition, analytic-driven game. Some of the things in pro basketball, NBA or Europe, have trickled down to college. You see it with BYU, with us, with other teams in our league."

While still willing to adapt and grow his offense to meet the changing times, Gard isn't willing to stray too far from the core principles established by his mentor, Bo Ryan, 25 years ago at Wisconsin. Cognizant of Wisconsin's brand, the Badgers still want to be aggressive defensively while valuing ball security.

After giving up 85 points to UCLA in a two-point January loss, Wisconsin's defensive efficiency hovered in the mid-60s. Setting a goal of being a top-25 defensive team, Wisconsin ranks 23rd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency after holding all five postseason opponents under 41 percent shooting.

"We're loud, we talk, we communicate," said Gard, as Wisconsin also ranks 20th in the country with 9.8 committed turnovers per game. "Just how physical we are with ball screens, how physical we are with following our rules within the defensive system and concepts that we have, how physical we are on the glass, defensive rebounding, how good we are in transition defensively. All the things that we always try to do.

"But when the bite comes back and when the bite's the best, they're at an intensity level and consistency level that's a notch or two higher. This time of year you have to have it if you want to keep playing. You're going to have to have your bark and your bite."

After adding a veteran presence in John Tonje, which immediately paid dividends for the program and the player (unanimous first-team all-conference, second-team All-American), Wisconsin will be back in the hunt for the next set of veteran players who fit the program's mold.

"I think understanding who we are, knowing who we are, knowing what makes us successful," Gard said. "Wisconsin is a really good academic school. It's one of the best in the world. Getting your college degree is still important. But I don't hear that talked about. When was the last time you heard APR, graduation rates? You don't hear it.

"But we still talk about it because, for these guys, there may be a handful of them that get to play after college and get paid to do so. For most of them, even the guys that play after college, they won't probably play long if you look at the data behind it. What are you going to do for the next 60 years of your life? (It's) trying to give them a perspective."

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