As it turned out, Gard made Alvarez’s decision a no-brainer by doing a tremendous job during a nearly three-month stint in the interim role.

“As I said many times throughout the past weeks, I’ve been very impressed with the job Greg has done with this team,” Alvarez said in a statement. “Not just from a wins and losses perspective but also in terms of player development and making necessary adjustments.

“It became clear to me as the season wore on and I was able to observe Greg both on and off the court that he was the right person to lead our men’s basketball team. I was extremely excited to be able to offer him the job and fully believe that the program is in good hands for years to come.”

Gard, a native of the southwestern Wisconsin village of Cobb, who had worked under Ryan since the mid-1990s, has said on multiple occasions that he didn’t view his new role as an audition. But he’s certainly made the most of his opportunity.

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UW posted the job opening two weeks ago with an anticipated starting date of March 8. That was a clear sign that Alvarez had decided Gard was the right man to lead the program.

UW is 13-6 since Gard took over and finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, extending a streak of top-four finishes to 15 seasons.