Wisconsin basketball head coach Greg Gard scored a massive win in the transfer portal, adding a talented shooter from Virginia. The Badgers are coming off an encouraging season, which saw it end in a second-round thriller to BYU. Gard, who went back-to-back Sweet 16s in his first two years in Madison, has not been to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2017. And with star guard John Tonje now having exhausted his eligibility, this program needs to be active in the transfer portal this offseason.
Fortunately, Wisconsin basketball got some good news on Thursday. According to On3sports National Basketball Reporter Joe Tipton, Virginia transfer Andrew Rohde has committed to the Badgers. The 6’6 guard has one year of eligibility left and averaged 9.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game this past season. Rohde shot 41.3% from three-point range in 2024.
The Badgers are looking to make that good-to-great jump under Greg Gard
Wisconsin basketball has been a reliable program under Greg Gard over the years. The Badgers have made the NCAA Tournament in five out of the past six seasons, and Gard’s teams have won a game in The Big Dance in three of those five appearances. Unfortunately, Wisconsin has been stuck in that good-not-great state for a while now, and those Final Four years with Hall of Fame coach Bo Ryan are starting to feel like a distant memory.
It is important to note that this program is starting to show positive signs. Wisconsin basketball took a leap offensively this year, largely due to its decision to up its three-point output. This year’s team still did not shoot from distance at a high efficiency, which is why an addition like Andrew Rohde is so crucial. Improving this metric, along with slightly improving the defense, could make this program a legitimate national title contender in the near future.
Overall, the pressure will be on Gard next season. Wisconsin basketball has the resources and potential to be a second-weekend team in the NCAA Tournament. It’s time for this program to take that next step in an even more crowded Big Ten Conference.
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