Greg Gard criticizes early focus in Big Ten Title game vs. Illinois

Defense is a big point against Illinois considering how much the Fighting Illini score a game. It’s now something that Greg Gard is wanting to see Wisconsin do a better job of locking in on considering how the first half of the Big Ten Championship has gone.

Gard spoke with Tracy Wolfson on CBS about the pace of their matchup so far in Minneapolis. He noted how their most recent possession before the break didn’t go well based on the outcome.

“Well we didn’t do a good job on the last possession here. We let (Terrence) Shannon walk into a three,” Gard explained.

Illinois has averaged 84.2 points per game, tied for ninth-most in the nation, this season. They shoot 47% from the field as a team with all seven players who post double-digit minutes scoring at least six points per game.

Through 16 minutes in the Target Center, though, the Badgers have done a fairly decent job on the defensive end. The Fighting Illini have 31 points while they’ve shot only 43.5% from the field and 42.7% from distance. Their starting lineup has done most of that damage with Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr. leading the way with nine and eight respectively.

Finding ways to keep Illinois from lighting up the scoreboard is priority number one for Gard. For him, that means better offensive possessions for his team so that they can stay ahead while also not giving the Illini any easies opportunities on the run.

“We’ve just got to do a better job of getting good shots on the other end, not turning it over like we did on that last possession, and then getting our defense set,” said Gard.

Gard shares how Wisconsin counters outside noise during season

Greg Gard and Wisconsin blocked any outside noise during the regular season as it was certainly a rollercoaster year for the Badgers.

Perhaps the ability to keep everything in house led to a great run this postseason. Wisconsin is playing Illinois in the Big Ten Championship Game on Selection Sunday.

Now, as a projected 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, Gard doesn’t want to slow down anytime soon.

“You’re always trying to instill belief in them because they get so many negative shots from the outside world that you constantly are countering that,” Gard said postgame on Saturday. “We’ve talked all year, actually since September – believe, earn, and finish. You have to see it first. You have to dream about it. This group has big goals. I’ve said before, the only one that’s gotten away from them so far is the regular season.”

“Then you’ve got to go do the work. You’ve got to earn it and you’ve got to finish it. I think this group has always had strong belief in themselves, but they’re 18 to 22 years old that are going through a lot of things sometimes, some adversity for the first time. Sometimes you’ve got to prop them up. But, at the same time, you hold them accountable and push them through and help them fight through it. Then you get to this point in time and hopefully that maturity and those experiences start to pay off.”