High Point’s Flynn Clayman Highlights Greg Gard’s Underrated Coaching Impact
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and High Point’s Flynn Clayman meet in the 2026 NCAA Tournament in Portland, Oregon. Their programs will play at the Moda Center. The matchup highlights two coaches who rose from associate roles to head coaches.
Different routes to head coaching
Gard worked under Bo Ryan across UW-Platteville, UW-Milwaukee and Wisconsin. He became Badgers head coach in 2015. Clayman began his career in Australia. He later coached at Southern Utah before joining High Point.
Experience levels
Gard is 55 years old and spent 15 years on the Madison bench. Clayman is 37 and had two seasons as associate head coach before his promotion. Both moved from associate head coach to lead their programs.
Season results and seedings
Wisconsin finished 24-10 overall and 14-6 in Big Ten play. The Badgers earned the No. 5 seed in the West region. This was their fourth winning conference season in five years.
High Point went 30-4 overall and 15-1 in the Big South. The Panthers received the No. 12 seed. They improved their record despite losing head coach Alan Huss to Creighton.
Institutional knowledge and program culture
Gard stressed the value of long-term staff continuity. He said institutional knowledge matters with NIL and the transfer portal reshaping college basketball. Gard noted a stable system helps a program withstand rapid change.
Clayman called himself and Gard strong examples for athletic directors. He argued that preserving culture can be better than frequent external hires. Clayman praised Gard’s consistency and said Gard sometimes flies under the radar.
Coaching transitions elsewhere
Alan Huss left High Point for Creighton. He joined Greg McDermott’s staff as associate head coach and head coach-in-waiting. That move provides Huss a new path to gain institutional knowledge.
Why this matchup matters
Both coaches illustrate success from promoting within. High Point’s Flynn Clayman and Wisconsin’s Greg Gard show how continuity affects teams. Clayman’s comments frame Gard’s underrated coaching impact for national audiences.
- Location: Moda Center, Portland, OR
- Wisconsin record: 24-10, 14-6 Big Ten, No. 5 seed
- High Point record: 30-4, 15-1 Big South, No. 12 seed
- Gard became head coach in 2015 and has eight NCAA Tournament appearances in ten opportunities
Filmogaz.com spoke with Gard about program stability and the current college landscape. Both staffs now prepare for a tournament game that will test coaching, depth and culture.
