Wisconsin

How Wisconsin’s small rotation showed encouraging depth in win over Iowa

Published

3 weeks ago

February 24, 2026

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How Wisconsin’s small rotation showed encouraging depth in win over Iowa

Wisconsin showed it can win a key game even when star guard John Blackwell has a quiet night.
The Badgers’ record in top-tier games has often depended on Blackwell’s scoring performance.
Improved play from teammates like Braeden Carrington and Austin Rapp has provided more offensive options.

MADISON – Wisconsin guard John Blackwell’s 3-pointer early in the second half against Iowa was somewhat routine, at least by Blackwell’s standards.

Teammate Nick Boyd found him with plenty of space against Iowa’s transition defense. Blackwell caught it and easily made the 3-pointer from the right side. It was his team-best 67th 3-pointer made so far in the 2025-26 season.

The more unique aspect was what happened in the 22 minutes of basketball preceding Blackwell’s 3-pointer – or more like what didn’t happen.

Blackwell, the Badgers’ second-leading scorer, had not scored before that. While that initially may sound like a negative, Wisconsin’s ability to remain competitive in a Quad 1 game against Iowa without contributions from its preseason all-Big Ten honoree was a sign of growth.

In Wisconsin’s previous games against Quad 1 opponents – the games with the most upside for an NCAA Tournament resume – the Badgers did not always show the ability to overcome a quiet night from Blackwell.

When the Badgers lost by 30 points to then-No. 22 Nebraska, Blackwell shot 1 of 11 (or 9.1%). When the Badgers lost by 28 to then-No. 10 BYU, Blackwell shot 3 of 13 (or 23.1%). On the other side of the equation, he shot 9 of 16 in the Badgers’ win over Michigan – the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY coaches poll at the time and still a top-three team.

In Quad 1 games where Blackwell makes at least six field goals, Wisconsin has gone 4-2. When Blackwell falls short of that mark against a Quad 1 foe, the Badgers are 1-5. The one exception was the Badgers’ recent victory over the rival Hawkeyes.

Those records could change, of course, as teams rise and fall in the NCAA’s NET rankings. (A Quad 1 win is against a top-30 team at home, top-50 team at a neutral site or top-75 team on the road.) But the proof of concept was there, nonetheless, for how the Badgers can win against top-tier competition, even when one of their best players are not playing at an elite level.

Wisconsin’s winning formula

It obviously lessens the burden when Boyd puts up 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds like he did against the Hawkeyes. He was one rebound short of the third triple-double in program history.

But Wisconsin’s winning formula when Blackwell is not hitting his shots extends beyond Boyd’s contributions.

“We’ve got some depth, and we’ve got some firepower,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said after the win over Iowa. “And I think we’ve got guys that have developed into the role.

“[Braeden] Carrington specifically. Obviously having [Austin] Rapp back in the lineup helps and gives us some more offensive punch.”

Carrington did not have much of an established role in December and early January, as the senior guard did not exceed 10 minutes in any game from Dec. 10-Jan. 6. But he has played more than 15 minutes in each of the 12 games since then.

Carrington’s perimeter shooting and defensive intensity have given the Badgers a major lift during those 12 games, which include when he hit seven 3-pointers in UW’s win at Minnesota that culminated with Blackwell’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

Rapp, a 6-foot-10 forward, came in with plenty of buzz as the reigning West Coast Conference freshman of the year. His early results did not necessarily match the early expectations, but he has shown significant improvement beyond just his perimeter shooting.

The Portland transfer now has a key role in the rotation, playing 20-plus minutes in the last four games where he was available. (He missed two games during that span with a pesky case of the flu.) He hit five 3-pointers in the Jan. 31 win over Ohio State, four 3-pointers in the Feb. 10 win at then-No. 7 Illinois and four 3-pointers in the Feb. 22 win over Iowa.

Even with improved contributions from players such as Carrington and Rapp, the Badgers do not necessarily have a deep rotation. Only seven UW players were on the floor for 10-plus minutes against Iowa, which was the first game after Jack Janicki’s wrist injury that required surgery.

Jones gets more time on the court

Gard has expressed optimism about freshman guard Hayden Jones, who earned more minutes in the Badgers’ loss at Ohio State in the immediate aftermath of Janicki’s injury. The New Zealand native was on the floor for seven minutes against the Hawkeyes.

“I was confident Hayden Jones would come in and not miss a beat,” Gard said after the Iowa win. “He brings a lot of size to the wing, and he played a little bit of four today in our small-ball group. He rebounds well. He’s got a great demeanor. He’s got some toughness to him.”

Jones’ opportunities were limited in the second half because of Blackwell getting “so much rest” amid foul trouble.

“John was so fresh,” Gard said.

The whole idea of Blackwell having a quiet night is becoming less common. The 6-foot-4 guard has shot 40% or better in five of his last six games, and he has scored 10-plus points in 13 consecutive games.

That coincides with Wisconsin’s five wins in its last seven games, lifting the Badgers from the NCAA tournament bubble to a comfortable at-large bid in seemingly every postseason prognostication.

“When he’s at his best, we’re at our best,” Boyd said of Blackwell earlier this season.

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Wisconsin

High Point vs. Wisconsin – First round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Published

8 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

High Point vs. Wisconsin – First round NCAA tournament extended highlights

Men’s Basketball

March 19, 2026

High Point vs. Wisconsin – First round NCAA tournament extended highlights

March 19, 2026

Watch the highlights from No. 12 High Point and No. 5 Wisconsin’s matchup in the first round of the 2026 men’s NCAA tournament.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin lawmakers look to join the ranks of states allowing online sports betting

Published

20 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin lawmakers look to join the ranks of states allowing online sports betting

MADISON (AP) — As sports fans wager billions of dollars on the NCAA basketball tournaments, Wisconsin lawmakers are taking a shot at an expanded sports betting plan that could bank big bucks for the state in the future.

A measure given final approval Tuesday would let the state’s tribal gambling sites start offering online sports betting to people anywhere in Wisconsin. But the bill is contingent on the signature of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, which is no sure bet. And it wouldn’t take effect until after the state negotiates new deals with American Indian tribes who would run the sports betting — long after the current basketball tournaments wrap up.

Here’s how Wisconsin and other states are approaching sports betting:

Sports betting is booming in states

Legal sports betting has spread from one state — Nevada — to 39 states and Washington, D.C., since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door in 2018. If Evers signs off on the expansion, Wisconsin would become the 32nd state to allow online sports wagering, which is how most people place bets.

Across the U.S., state-regulated sportsbooks handled nearly $167 billion of bets last year, generating revenues of nearly $17 billion after winnings were paid out to customers, according to the American Gaming Association. That marked an almost 23% increase over the previous year.

Gambling in Wisconsin goes through tribes

Gambling is legal in Wisconsin only on tribal lands under exclusive contracts between tribes and the state. Sports bets currently can be placed only at certain tribal casinos, and online sports betting is illegal.

Under the Wisconsin tribal compacts, a percentage of the money tribes earn through that gambling is returned to the state. In 2024, the tribes paid the state just over $66 million from revenue generated at casinos.

Wisconsin proposes to follow the Florida model

Under the Wisconsin legislation, online sports betting would be allowed only if the infrastructure to manage the bets, such as computer servers, is located on tribal lands in the state. That approach, known as the “hub-and-spoke” model, already is used in Florida.

Supporters of the measure include several Wisconsin tribes and the Milwaukee Brewers. They contend people currently are placing bets using offshore sportsbooks or prediction markets or crossing into other states where it’s legal, including neighboring Illinois.

Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he opposes online gambling, but people are already doing it and “I would rather make sure that Wisconsinites have some sort of control over that.”

The legislation has drawn opposition from the Sports Betting Alliance, which represents FanDuel, DraftKings, bet365, BetMGM and Fanatics. They argue it wouldn’t make financial sense for them to partner with Wisconsin tribes, because federal law requires 60% of gambling revenues must go back to the tribes. They would prefer a state constitutional amendment opening sports betting to all operators.

“It is simply not economically feasible for a commercial operator to hand over 60% or more of its revenue to an in-state gaming entity, just for the right to operate in the state,” Sports Betting Alliance representative Damon Stewart said in submitted testimony opposing the bill.

Governor’s support is unclear

Wisconsin’s measure has divided Republicans since it was introduced last year. It took 12 Democrats joining with nine Republicans to pass the bill in the Senate. The Assembly, also controlled by Republicans, passed it on a voice vote without debate last month.

It now heads to Evers, who initially said he would sign it as long as it was passed in consultation with — and the support of — the state’s tribes. Evers has since raised concerns, noting last month that not all of the state’s 11 tribes are registered as in support. Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback did not return a message seeking comment Tuesday.

Revenues from sports bets can take a while to start flowing

If Evers signs the legislation, Wisconsin residents may still have to wait to place bets through smartphones and computers. It often takes months to launch new sports betting programs.

North Carolina’s governor signed legislation in June 2023 to expand sports betting from three tribal casinos to online platforms. But online betting did not begin until March 2024.

Missouri voters narrowly approved sports wagering in November 2024. But it didn’t launch until last December. And the state has yet to reap a big windfall. Through the first two months, Missouri sportsbooks handled $928 million of bets, but that resulted in just $659,000 in state taxes.

Some states look to squeeze more out of sports bets

Since adopting sports betting, some states already have revamped their laws to try to take a bigger share of the money. Taxes have been raised or restructured in Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. And Colorado and Virginia have pared back the tax deductions they originally allowed.

Illinois has taken multiple bites, most recently adding fees of 25-50 cents on every sports bet that gets placed. And Chicago began charging an additional 10.25% tax on sports betting revenues on Jan. 1.

Louisiana raised is sports betting taxes last year to help fund college athletics. The new law directs one-quarter of the tax revenue from online sports wagering to be split among public universities with Division I football programs and be used “for the benefit of student athletes.”

Collegiate prop bets face push back

Sports betting often involves more than just guessing which team will win. Some of the most popular bets focus on player performance, like how many points a particular athlete will score. Those proposition bets also have been at the center of recent scandals, with players alleged to have rigged their performance.

The NCAA in 2023 began encouraging states to adopt restrictions on bets involving college athletes. Since then, Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Vermont have joined the ranks of states banning individual prop bets on college athletes.

More than a dozen states place no limits on collegiate prop bets while nearly an equal number prohibit all such bets. Other states fall somewhere in between, including some that allow prop bets on collegiate athletes only for games that don’t involve their home-state schools.

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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri.

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Wisconsin

Poll results show Wisconsin reaching Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2026

Press Room

Poll results show Wisconsin reaching Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Wisconsin Badgers are set to meet High Point in the men’s NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 19. Will the Badgers advance? How far can UW go overall?

Earlier this week we asked readers to vote how deep of a run Wisconsin will make in the tournament. Here are the results:

Wisconsin will reach the Sweet 16

More than half of the respondents to our poll, or 56% of the 238 votes cast, predict the Badgers will make it to the Sweet 16. It would mark Wisconsin’s first trip to the final 16 since 2017, when it lost to Florida, 84-83.

What about an early exit?

About 18% of voters believe Wisconsin will bow out in one of the first two rounds, with 4.6% predicting a loss in the first game to High Point, and 13% envisioning a loss in the following round of 32.

Wisconsin as NCAA champions

Wisconsin will be crowned the NCAA champion on April 6 according to 4.6% of our voters, which ironically, is the exact percentage of voters who believe the Badgers will lose their first-round game to High Point.

15% of voters see Wisconsin’s season concluding in the Elite Eight, and 5% see UW reaching the Final Four before the run ends. 1.3% believe UW will reach the NCAA championship game but miss out on the crown.

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