Bo Ryan has done it again. The Badger men’s basketball coach received his third Big Ten Coach of the Year honor Monday after leading Wisconsin (12-6 Big Ten, 21-10 overall) to a fourth-place finish in arguably the best conference in college basketball.
Ryan was selected for the honor by the media and coaches from around the conference. The only coaches with more Big Ten Coach of the Year selections are Purdue’s Gene Keady (7) and Indiana’s Bob Knight (5), neither of whom are still coaching.
Ryan beat out other contenders such as Indiana’s Tom Crean, Michigan’s John Beilein, Ohio State’s Thad Matta and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo—all from teams that finished the season ranked higher than the Badgers.
The UW coach separated himself with how the Badgers persevered this year in a league where they were picked to finish in the lower half. That was even before the loss of junior point guard Josh Gasser to a torn ACL, which he suffered in October. The Badgers overcame the loss of their point guard by finishing with the team’s third straight 20-win season, making it Ryan’s 12th straight season finishing in the top four of the Big Ten regular season standings.
Ryan boasts an impressive resumé this season, rebounding from a rough start early that left many fans wondering if the Badgers were going to have to struggle to make the NCAA tournament, a feat Ryan has accomplished every year since becoming the UW head coach.
After a 6-4 start the Badgers reeled off seven straight wins, including a statement road win against No. 2 Indiana. Ryan’s squad went 5-5 against AP top 25 teams this year, including victories over No. 12 Illinois and No. 13 Ohio State by more than 20 points.
The Badgers are not usually the flashiest team on the court and seldom do they have the sexiest team on paper, but Bo Ryan’s consistency has made the Badgers a perennial threat in the Big Ten. He’s got the plaques to prove it.
