Tyler Wahl reaches becomes 7th Badgers player to play in 100 career wins

The Wisconsin Badgers had a marquee victory on Friday evening, sweeping the season series over the Michigan State Spartans with an 81-66 win.

It was one of the cleaner wins that the Badgers had all season, as Wisconsin was efficient on the offensive end, while playing smothering defense, especially inside the arc against the Spartans.

With the win, head coach Greg Gard passed the 100-win mark in the Big Ten, which he accomplished in Wisconsin’s 61-59 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Tuesday.

But, as one accomplishment came and went, another one arrived as forward Tyler Wahl became the seventh Badgers player in history to play in 100 career wins on Thursday, joining an exclusive club.

Accomplishing unique records in Badgers history was one of head coach Greg Gard’s bigger sells to Wahl when the forward was contemplating his future in the offseason, and it ultimately worked as the graduate student returned for a fifth and final season.

“It was what we had talked about back in the spring when he was [figuring out]: what do I do? And I said to him, here’s one thing: you got a chance to be the only player in Wisconsin history to win three Big Ten championships. So, that’s something that I think resonated with him. And ‘hey, you’re going to play with a more experienced team. We got good players coming. We’ll be better, but we need you,’” Gard said after Friday’s game.

The Badgers had a surprise for Gard after his 100th Big Ten win in the locker room on Tuesday and they presented Wahl with the same celebration following Friday’s game.

“They doused me with water the other night up in Minnesota when I hit 100,” Gard said. “[This time], we got him. Tonight we got him. I guess some of it got on me, but the whole coaching staff, I went in and let everybody know it was 100 for Tyler in his career, which is awesome. I know that’s a lot of hard work and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears on the floor to get that type of success.”

Earlier in the season, Wahl became the 48th Badger to reach 1,000 points with the club and now, he becomes the seventh to be a member of 100 career wins with the program.

Here’s the full group of leaders in the wins category in Badgers history:

1. Josh Gasser: 117 wins (2011-15)

2. Nigel Hayes: 115 wins (2014-17)

T-3. Frank Kaminsky: 114 wins (2012-15)

T-3. Bronson Koenig: 114 wins (2014-17)

5. Brad Davison: 101 wins (2018-22)

6. Joe Krabbenhoft: 100 wins (2006-09)

T-6. Tyler Wahl: 100 wins (2020-Present)

With 11 games left in the regular season, the Big Ten Tournament, and (likely), the NCAA Tournament, Wahl will have several opportunities to climb up the list over the final months of the season.