MILWAUKEE — Monday marked opening night for three college basketball teams.
Marquette tips off season two with Shaka Smart, hosting Radford at Fiserv Forum. Across the street, the Milwaukee Panthers and new head coach Bart Lundy will debut against MSOE. And in Madison, the Badgers entertain South Dakota.
But on Friday, the Badgers will face Stanford at American Family Field.
"It's awesome Lance, you almost have to pinch yourself because being at the day one of this idea so to speak, that started here 15 years ago, to see it now, it's going to be awesome," Badgers Head Coach Greg Gard says.
Wisconsin men's basketball coach Gard is pumped to play Stanford in the Brew City Battle at American Family Field.
"First time it's ever happened. Hopefully, it's not the last time," Gard says. "But we've gotta make sure the first one, we get through that one before we worry about what's down the road with this. It's going to have a very unique feel that you don't usually get unless you're in a Regional Final or in a Final Four because of the enormity of the building itself."
And they insist it will be a comfortable atmosphere.
"Am Fam Field, adding heat to the interior playing surface," Gard says. "That was always one of the drawbacks when this first started, was that we were really rolling the dice. And hopefully, we're going to have weather like we've had here recently, that we'll have a great tailgating atmosphere. And we won't have the roof open but we won't have to rely too much on supplied heat."
Wisconsin doesn't want this to be a one-and-done.
"People can go Brewers.com/Badgers and grab tickets there or call the Brewers ticket office," Gard says. "So that's really the best way for them to get tickets. And hopefully here in the last week, there's going to be an even, you know, bigger surge."
The first test? A media game on Wednesday. So I looked for advice from the head coach.
"Shooters shoot," Gard says. "Don't worry about the venue Lance. Just, just let 'em fly. Okay? Shoot 'til you get hot. When you get hot? Keep shooting until you stay hot!"
Lance Allan asks, "Is this Greg Gard talking?"
"Absolutely, absolutely. Let it fly!" Gard exclaims.
