The Badgers reached the regional finals of the NCAA tournament 11 times between 1997 and 2020. The fourth-ranked Badgers entered the NCAA tournament on a high after winning the Big Ten championship for a third consecutive year. The Badgers controlled the net and set a championship record with 24 blocks, including 13 from Rettke. It had won the regular season conference title in 1991 to qualify for its first NCAA tournament in a decade. But after the Badgers blanked Bowling Green to start the NCAA tournament, Wilson dislocated his elbow against William & Mary in the second round.