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Moving Forward: What the Cards May Hold for Greg Gard’s Crew Next Season

By Taylor Johnson

Mar 24, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers bench look on during the first half against the Florida Gators in the semifinals of the East Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers bench look on during the first half against the Florida Gators in the semifinals of the East Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Wisconsin Badgers just completed one of the most successful four years of any team in the country. But with four starters departing, what should head coach Greg Gard expect next season?

Greg Gard has done a fine job as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers since taking over for Bo Ryan mid-season in 2015. But with four key pieces graduating, Wisconsin could endure some growing pains once again next season.

Related Story: Greg Gard Receives Reassurance from Rival Coaches

Just like in the 2015-16 season, the Badgers had to deal with the departures of Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky. They did so behind the leadership of Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes, along with Zak Showalter, Vitto Brown, and Ethan Happ stepping up in their roles.

But now Gard and the Badgers face a similar situation for the 2017-18 season.

Happ will be the lone starter returning to the program. After that, there are plenty of question marks and holes to fill. D’Mitrik Trice played well filling in for Koenig that he should have no problem in a more involved role. Same with Khalil Iverson, who saw his minutes increase dramatically in the tournament and played well for a true sophomore.

Then there’s Aleem Ford, a 6’8” freshman that many consider could be the next big guy to burst onto the scene in Madison.

Don’t forget the three freshmen coming to Madison this year either. Brad Davison, Nathan Reuvers, and Kobe King make up a great recruiting class for Gard. Those three standouts make the Badgers recruiting class rank second in the Big Ten, 17th nationally.

So with all the changes, what can we expect? In 2015-16, Wisconsin finished with a record of 22-13 overall, 12-6 in the Big Ten. They would reach the Sweet 16 that year, losing to Notre Dame.

I would venture to say we should expect about the same this upcoming season. I don’t foresee a magical Final Four run in 2018, but don’t be surprised in the next couple of season’s that doesn’t happen.

Next: Three Incoming Freshmen Look to Continue Success

Wisconsin doesn’t just rebuild when they lose standout players. They look to reload.

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