Wisconsin
How Wisconsin’s small rotation showed encouraging depth in win over Iowa
Nick Boyd was ‘best player’ in Wisconsin Badgers’ win over Iowa
Nick Boyd was the ‘best player on the floor’ in Wisconsin’s win over Iowa, Greg Gard said in his postgame press conference.
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.
A Safe Haven Baby Box has been purchased for Wisconsin Rapids. The next step is choosing the best alarm system for the project before it can be installed.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS − The city is close to having a Safe Haven Baby Box installed to help protect babies who are unwanted or unable to be cared for by their parents.
Volunteers have raised $35,000 for the Safe Haven Baby Box project and spent about $17,000 to pay for the box. The remainder will help to cover the cost of an alarm system and installation of the box in Wisconsin Rapids’ Fire Station 2, 1641 W. Grand Ave.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are secure, temperature-controlled, ventilated boxes that provide a place to anonymously put a newborn baby the mother can not or does not want to keep.
The project currently is waiting on the selection of an alarm system, said Linda Casper, who has led the efforts to get a Baby Box. Wisconsin Rapids Fire Chief Benjamin Goodreau is researching what system would be the best and most cost effective, Casper said. The alarm will alert the Wood County Communications Center when the box is opened. A delayed alarm then sounds after the baby is placed in the box and it is closed. The second alarm is delayed to allow the person dropping off the baby time to leave the area, Casper said.
Casper said she learned about the Baby Box when she was reading a newsletter from a state organization she and her husband belong to and found an article about the Safe Haven Baby Box. Casper thought it was a good idea for Wisconsin Rapids and contacted Wisconsin Rapids City Council member Jeff Penzkover about it. After discussions about a location that would work for the Baby Box, it was decided to place it at Wisconsin Rapids Fire Station 2.
Once the alarm system is chosen, Altmann Construction will begin the process of installing the box, Casper said. The installation will require removing bricks from the outside wall of the fire station. Before the box can be put into service, the firefighters and some members of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office will have to be trained on the correct protocols for handling a baby being left in the box, Casper said. Fire Department administration also will have to adjust the protocols to fit the department, she said.
Since the efforts to get a Baby Box in Wisconsin Rapids have become known, Casper has been getting phone calls from people in other communities, including Marshfield and Wausau, who want to know how she got the project going.
How you can help
Although the initial cost of the Baby Box is covered, Casper and the other people who have worked to bring the lifesaving device to Wisconsin Rapids still are working on raising more money. The box will need to be inspected each year by Safe Haven and the alarm system will have a monthly fee, Casper said. She hopes to raise enough to cover the costs for years to come.
People interested in helping can send donations to: Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 1150 Second St. N., Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494. Please put “SHBB,” for Safe Haven Baby Box, on the memo line so church staff know where the money should go.
Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.
Spring practice has wrapped up across the country, and college football has officially entered its quiet period of summer doldrums.
However, the mass influx of new intel on transfers gleaned from spring ball means top recruiting sites 247Sports and On3/Rivals have updated their national transfer portal rankings, and the Badgers’ class has gained more respect from both services since the initial transfer boom in the winter.
Wisconsin’s 2026 transfer haul currently checks in at No. 15 in the country on On3/Rivals, up slightly from its perch at No. 18 this winter. That’s good enough for third in the Big Ten behind UCLA (No. 11) and Indiana (No. 1).
247Sports sees the Badgers’ class a little differently; they’ve awarded Wisconsin with the No. 38-ranked class in the nation. That checks in at ninth in the Big Ten. Still, the outlet has bumped its individual ratings for several of the Badgers’ incoming transfers.
After initially not having signed a four-star transfer portal prospect in the eyes of 247Sports, the site has bumped quarterback Colton Joseph, running back Abu Sama and safety Marvin Burks Jr. to four-star transfer prospects, giving the Badgers three blue-chip portal players. Center Austin Kawecki was also bumped to a high three-star portal prospect.
On3, meanwhile, sees Wisconsin with just one four-star portal prospect in the Iowa State transfer tailback Sama.
It’s interesting to note that On3’s transfer portal grading system evaluates all of Wisconsin’s portal movement, additions and departures combined. 247Sports’ system is less additive and only evaluates teams based on how it ranks their newcomers.
Why it matters
In this day and age, programs have no choice but to deftly navigate the transfer portal if they want any shot at success. That doesn’t always mean you need to add over 30 signees, like Wisconsin did, but it’s a good sign that the Badgers are gaining recognition for one of the most important aspects of roster building.
Wisconsin is going to be a team largely fueled by mercenaries this season. I’d expect the vast majority of the Badgers’ production, especially on offense where new faces at quarterback, running back, tight end and receiver figure to dominate reps.
The Badgers still have a solid core of home-grown players, namely their two studs at inside linebacker and a handful of key cogs along the offensive line. After all, they rank 35th nationally in returning production; the cupboard isn’t entirely bare.
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