The Wisconsin Badgers defeated the UCLA Bruins 86-70 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday, relying on their three-point shooting and stellar defense in a statement win.
After the game, head coach Greg Gard spoke with the media, breaking down his team’s efforts in the blowout victory.
Opening Statement
GREG GARD: Obviously, really proud of our guys. I thought we played — the 3s are going to get a lot of the attention, and obviously, this group has the potential to do that, and they’ve shown that through the year.
But the job we did defensively, I felt, was just as important, if not more important, of how we were able to keep them out of rhythm, that our perimeter did a really good job of ball pressuring, getting into the ball. Our bigs did a good job of being able to help them and get reattached to their bigs.
Obviously, when you make shots like that, it makes the game easier. Proud of our group. Looking forward to playing tomorrow.
Q. Greg, to start the second half, UCLA came out. They scored the first 7 points, and cut it to 12. You guys were able to bounce back from back. What went into that stretch of your guys being able to withstand that early surge?
GREG GARD: I think understanding how they were going to come out. They put four different starters in the lineup than what they had started with knowing. We felt they were going to come out, and really try to get after us, pressure us, drive the ball downhill, obviously, with Mack.
I don’t think the first few possessions we handled it well. It took a little bit for the officials to sort some things out and clean some stuff up. We were in the bonus the last 17 minutes, so we got there really quickly, and we did a better job of being stronger with the ball, and for the most part, stopping dribble penetration. We didn’t do a great job keeping them off the glass. We were able to counter and match their aggressiveness and not let that faze us.
Q. I know the conversation started with 3-pointers. You guys hit 19 of them. It tied the 2022 mark that Iowa had set Keegan Murray with Bohannon and those guys. What did that mean to shoot the ball so well?
GREG GARD: Usually, when you’re shooting it well, we’re moving it well. I thought the numbers bear that out as well, too. We moved it. We changed sides. Guys are unselfish and making plays for each other.
When you do that, the ball finds — like John said, the ball will find its way back to you. The ball finds the energy. I felt we were all playing with energy, and it shows with how good we were offensively.
Q. You’ve staggered lineups throughout the season, especially with the two bigs. At that 13:29 mark early in the first half, you went back to the starters and get a 9-2 run there. Was there maybe a sense of urgency or what kind of went into that compared to the lineup? And then, what do you see offensively, with those 3s especially, when those five are out on the court?
GREG GARD: Some of it’s fatigue-based. Winter and Crowl got their third fouls relatively quickly in the start of the half. So I kind of played them opposite each other for a little bit. Then Winter got his fourth obviously.
Then we played Gilmore at the 5, which we’ve done in the past. He was able to play smaller. They were using Kyle at the 5, and we were matching perimeter players around it. I think the versatility to — we’re harder to guard too when we’ve got essentially two 4s in Gilmore and Amos on the floor together. We’re a little faster. We’re obviously not as big, but in terms of ball movement, body movement, the mobility picks up, and we’re harder to keep up with.
Like I said, it was just — then I went back to the lineup. When I felt guys were getting tired and put up a few offensive rebounds, we needed to clean that stuff up. It was a gut feel of what I watch and what I feel, and watching body languages, and our guys getting a little exhausted and I needed to give them a break. Obviously, some fouls played into those positions too.
Q. Were you a little bit surprised they didn’t go more to Aday Mara considering the success you had when you two met at Pauley Pavilion, 22 points?
GREG GARD: I think we did a better job on him. We made his catches a little harder. We were around him a little bit more with some help. He was able to get us on the offensive glass. He got at least five tonight.
I just thought we were more physical. We had more of an edge to us on the defensive end than what we had back in January.
Q. I touched on it a little bit with John Blackwell, but just X, in addition to a couple triples, three blocks, I think three boards, a couple of assists. Just where are you kind of seeing his comfort, especially after he sees one go down early? How is he growing defensively right now as well?
GREG GARD: I think he’s still growing is a good word. He’s got a lot of potential. I think a lot of — he’s got a lot of steps yet to make. I think he’s gaining confidence, and that’s one thing with a younger, underdeveloped player, that the confidence sometimes ebbs and flows.
So for him, it’s just keeping the game simple. He knew when things — he missed a block-out or something offensive we had called, he went the opposite direction with it. So he understands those things. But I think for him, it’s just gaining that confidence and keeping the game simple.
Sometimes — I know he’s not young, but he’s young in terms of our program. They think there’s this magic possession that you have to use as a player. Really, it’s about keeping the game simple and being fundamentally sound on both ends. He’s still figuring those things out.
Q. The last time you played Michigan State, Max Klesmit was unable to play. Can you describe for me — listen, it’s a team sport, one person. It’s not an individual sport. But can you describe for me what difference Max can make into this mix playing the Spartans tomorrow?
GREG GARD: I think Max — regardless of who we would match up to play tomorrow, Max is important. We played 33 games. He’s missed 3 of the 33. He’s missed 3 games.
Regardless of who it was, he’s starting for a reason, and he’s an important piece. I would say that about if it was somebody else too because, as you put a team together and you grow through a season, roles get established, and they start to really define themselves. Players take ownership in those roles, and Max’s role is really important with this group.
Obviously, an emotional leader, a vocal leader, an experienced leader, and obviously brings an element from his ability to score, defend. It’s an important piece. I think it would be — I know it would be the same regardless because we’ve had other guys in other years that we’ve missed, and maybe they weren’t a starter, but you understand, as the team comes together on this journey, you realize how important each piece is to that journey.
When someone has to sit on the sideline a little bit and they’re part of that rotation, you can maybe survive it a little bit, but eventually it takes its toll. Eventually you get out of a rhythm, and it forces other players to move out of the role that they had grown into prior to the injury. So it doesn’t just affect Max when he missed it, it was the shifting, so to speak, of the seats on the bus that happened. Obviously, we’d love to have him back and got everybody healthy. When we’re whole and we’ve got all our people, we’re a pretty good team.
It’s regardless of who we’re going to play tomorrow. I know Michigan State, we’ve had battles for a quarter century. I’ve got great respect for Tom and his program. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Q. Sebastian Mack was obviously a key attacker for UCLA tonight, 18 points and kind of finding his way into the paint. What can you say about just his play style from what you were seeing?
GREG GARD: I thought we did a better job than we did in L.A. back in January. He single-handedly put them on his back and made plays. I thought we were better after the start of the second half, when he was really trying to get downhill and draw fouls and buckets and free-throw line, we got better at squeezing gaps. Klesmit got a charge on him, and we were able to withstand some of the stuff he was trying to do off the bounce. He’s a really good player. We learned that firsthand back in January. I felt we were better today when that time came.
