Wisconsin Basketball Coach Sends Clear Message to Starting Center

Gard’s public critique of Crowl after his lackluster performance against Illinois raised eyebrows, but it was a calculated move. Having coached Crowl for five seasons, Gard knew the Badgers center could handle the directness—no matter how blunt it seemed to those outside the program. 

“I’m honest, and they know that,” Gard continued. “They know I love them, that I’ve got their back for the rest of my life. I always tell them, ‘Until they shovel dirt on me, I’m with you, I’ve got you,’ and he knows that. I try to speak truths to them, and they appreciate that.

"Coaches say that players have changed, kids have changed. No, they haven’t. The really good ones want to be coached."

In addition to his tough love, coach Gard has met Crowl in the middle by making in-game adjustments on his end, managing his and starting forward Nolan Winter’s minutes more strategically to preserve their energy.

Senior Carter Gilmore has taken on a heavier workload and consistently delivered off the bench. Xavier Amos has started to flash his potential, and Markus Ilver, according to Gard, has “earned the opportunity” to see more playing time. Together, these developments have given the Badgers a much deeper frontcourt rotation than they've had in quite some time.

With Gard’s trust and tough love, Crowl is finally becoming the frontcourt anchor Wisconsin men's basketball needs to compliment its backcourt pairing of John Blackwell and John Tonje as it battles through Big Ten play.

“We’ve coached him hard and have demanded a lot, and you want to have him playing his best basketball as a senior... I’m happy for him because I know we’ve pushed him hard, and he’s pushed himself hard,” said Gard. 

The Badgers (13-3, 3-2) are back in action on Jan. 14 when they host Ohio State (10-6, 2-3) at the Kohl Center.