Bronson Koenig (Ho-Chunk) and Wisconsin Badgers begin NCAA tournament against Pittsburgh in St. Louis on Friday

NCAA TOURNAMENT BEGINS IN ST. LOUIS
Wisconsin (20-12) earned a No. 7 seed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and will face 10th-seeded Pittsburgh on Friday, March 18, in St. Louis. The Badgers are making their 18th-consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament, the fifth-longest streak in NCAA history. Friday’s tip time is set for 5:50 p.m. (CT) on TNT.

NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT WISCONSIN
1    DANCING YET AGAIN: Wisconsin earned a trip to the NCAA tournament for the 18th-consecutive season, a streak that began in 1999. The Badgers’ 18 consecutive trips to the Big Dance is tied for the 5th-longest in NCAA history.
UW is a No. 7 seed in the East Region and will take on No. 10 Pittsburgh in the opening round on Friday, March 18 at 5:50 p.m. (CT) at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
2    OFFICIALLY, HEad COACH: Greg Gard was officially named the head coach at Wisconsin on March 7, removing the interim tag. The 16th coach in UW history, Gard is 13-7 at the helm of the Badgers.
3    INCREDIBLE TURN AROUND: On Jan. 13, Wisconsin was 9-9 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten with an RPI of 110. Since then, Greg Gard has led the Badgers to wins in 11 of 14 games, climbing to 3rd place in the league and No. 37 in the RPI.
4    OPENING STATEMENTS: The Badgers have won 8 of their last 9 opening-round NCAA tournament games, holding teams to an average of 55.3 points in the initial game. Wisconsin is 13-3 in the round of 64 since 2000.
5    RESUME BUILDING: UW has faced the nation’s 6th-toughest schedule and posted a trio of RPI top-25 wins. The Badgers also tallied 10 wins over the top 100, a total that was second only to Michigan State in the Big Ten.
6    TOP-10 TAKEDOWNS: With wins over Maryland (2), Michigan State (4) and Iowa (8), the Badgers are 1 of 5 teams to own a trio of top-10 wins this season, joining Texas (4), Kansas (4), Seton Hall and Xavier.
7    #Winning… YEAR IN, YEAR OUT: With a Big Ten record of 12-6, the Badgers secured a top-4 conference finish (tied for third place this season) for the 16th-consecutive season, the longest such streak in Big Ten history.
8    HAYES-ING: A first-team All-Big Ten pick, Nigel Hayes leads the Badgers in scoring (16.3 ppg) and assists (3.0 apg) while ranking 2nd in rebounds (5.8 rpg). He also paces the Big Ten in FTAs, going 181-for-244 (.742) at the line.
9    HAPP WINS FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ethan Happ was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned All-Defensive honors after leading the conference in steals (1.8 spg) and ranking 3rd in double-doubles (9). Happ is trying to become the Big Ten’s first freshman in 20+ years to average 11.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg and 1.0 bpg.
10    ROADIES: The Badgers have the most road/neutral wins and 3rd-best win pct. away from home of any major conference team over the last 3 years. UW is 44-15 (.746) away from the Kohl Center in that span (7-7 this season).
11    TAKING WHAT’s FREE: UW leads the Big Ten, averaging 21.7 FTAs per game this season. That mark would rank as the Badgers’ 2nd-highest average in the last 9 years.
12    KOENIG HEATING UP: A third-team All-Big Ten pick, Bronson Koenig (Ho-Chunk Nation) is averaging 13.4 ppg and shot 42.3% from 3-point range in B1G play. The junior has hit a triple in 43 consecutive games (3rd-longest streak in the country).
13    “3TTO” BROWN: Over the last 10 games, Vitto Brown is averaging 12.3 ppg and shooting 21-for-42 (.500) from 3-point range. Prior to this season, the junior forward had never attempted a 3-point field goal.
14    20-WIN THRESHOLD: Wisconsin has won 20 games for the 10th-straight season. The Badgers also won at least 12 Big Ten games for the 7th-consecutive season (the longest active streak in the league).
15    3-POINT THREAT: On the year, Wisconsin is shooting 35.8% from deep and averaging 6.6 made 3FGs per game. However, over the last 10 games, the Badgers have gone 89-for-224 (.397) from long range (8.9 3FGs/game).
16    DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENT: The Badgers held a total of 10 teams to their season low point total. During Big Ten play, UW led the conference in scoring defense (63.9 ppg) and turnover percentage (forcing more than one turnover per every five possessions).
17    FINISHING MOVE: Over the last 5 years, UW is 137-5 (.965) when leading or tied with 5:00 left (20-1 this season).

WISCONSIN IN THE NCAA TOURNEY
UW is making its 22nd appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Badgers are 34-20 (.630) all-time in the Big Dance, advancing to 4 Final Fours and winning the 1941 NCAA title.
– The Badgers earned a No. 7 seed in the East Region and will take on No. 10 Pittsburgh in the opening round in St. Louis. UW has been seeded 7th or higher in 9 of the last 10 years.
– This marks the 9th time UW has been in the East Region, most recently advancing to the Sweet 16 in Boston in 2012. The Badgers’ only national championship came out of the East Region in 1941.
– Wisconsin has qualified for each of the last 18 consecutive NCAA tournaments, the 5th-longest streak in NCAA history.
– UW’s 18 consecutive NCAA tournaments is also tied as the 2nd-longest streak in Big Ten history. Only MSU’s active streak of 19 consecutive is longer.
– The Badgers have been to the NCAA tournament in all 15 seasons Greg Gard has been on the bench. In those 15 appearances, UW owns a 25-14 (.641) record and has advanced to seven Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights and the 2014 and 2015 Final Four.

UW’S BACK-TO-BACK FINAL FOURS
– On the strength of a Final Four win over previously-unbeaten Kentucky, Wisconsin advanced to the 2015 national championship game, its first title appearance since 1941.
– Including a trip to the national semifinal in 2014, the Badgers made back-to-back Final Fours, giving them four in school history.
– UW was the 9th team in Big Ten history to make back-to-back trips to the Final Four.
– Wisconsin is one of just 10 schools to make 3 or more trips to the Final Fours since 2000, trailing only Michigan State (6), Kentucky (4), Duke (4), UConn (4), UNC (4), Florida (4) and Kansas (4).
– UW is trying to reach a third-consecutive Final Four, something only 11 schools have done in the history of the NCAA tournament. The most recent team to turn the three-peat was UCLA (2006-08).

LAST FIVE YEARS IN THE BIG DANCE
Over the last 5 years, Wisconsin has experienced as much success in the NCAA tournament as nearly any program in the nation.
– The Badgers have been to the Sweet 16 in 4 of the last 5 seasons – no team has made more appearances. Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Louisville and Michigan State are the only other schools to appear in 4 of the last 5 Sweet 16s.
– Wisconsin has gone 13-5 in the NCAA tournament over the last 5 seasons. The Badgers’ 13 wins since 2011 rank 3rd in the nation, trailing only Kentucky (19) and Louisville (15).
– Wisconsin’s 25 NCAA tournament wins since 2001-02 (Bo Ryan/Greg Gard era) rank 9th in the nation and 2nd among Big Ten teams (Michigan St. 30).
– What Bo Ryan/Greg Gard have accomplished at Wisconsin is impressive for any school, but considering UW’s NCAA tournament history prior to 2002, it is particularly staggering.

NCAA TOURNAMENT OPENERS
– Wisconsin has won 8 of its last 9 opening-round games and is 12-2 in NCAA openers under Bo Ryan/Greg Gard overall.
– In UW’s last 9 opening-round games, opponents have scored an average of just 55.3 points per game. Over that stretch, only 3 of the 9 opening opponents have reached 60 points vs. the Badgers.

WISCONSIN VS. THE 2016 FIELD
– The Badgers are 9-6 (.600) against teams in the 2016 NCAA Tournament field.
– Wisconsin had non-conference wins over VCU, Temple, Syracuse and Green Bay before knocking off Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and Michigan State during Big Ten play.

WISCONSIN VS. PITTSBURGH
– Wisconsin and Pittsburgh will meet for the 19th time on Friday with the Badgers owning an 11-7 lead in the all-time series.
– Wisconsin won the most recent meeting, an 89-75 win in Madison on Dec. 16, 2006 when Pitt was ranked No. 2 in the nation.
– The Badgers and Panthers have split a pair of NCAA tournament matchups. UW posted a 36-30 win over Pitt in the regional finals on its way to winning the 1941 National Championship. In 2004, No. 3-seeded Pitt topped No. 6 Wisconsin, 59-55, in the round of 32 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
– The Badgers are 40-40 all-time against current members of the ACC and have won 9 of their last 13 games against ACC foes.