Wisconsin Badgers will have to get creative if Nolan Winter's injury lingers

MADISON, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin has managed to overcome multiple injuries to starting and reserve guards this season to put them in position for a top-six finish in the Big Ten and a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Now, the Badgers are about to find out if their frontcourt depth can keep pushing them forward.

Wisconsin is hopeful that junior center Nolan Winter avoided a serious ankle injury late in the second half of its 78-45 victory over Maryland, but the Badgers will likely need to get a heavy dose of sophomore Austin Rapp and freshmen Aleksas Bieliauskas and Will Garlock to provide any kind of interior size.

The test will be immediate when the Badgers head to Mackey Arena and face No.15 Purdue with a starting frontcourt of 6-9 senior Trey Kaufman-Renn and 6-11 senior Oscar Cluff.

"We got a lot of guys who can step into that," head coach Greg Gard said. "We've played different lineups. We've played small ball. We did some of that (Wednesday). I think Bieliauskas has gotten better. I (like) the experience of Will as a true '5.' We'll see where we're at (today) and take the best path forward."

The Kohl Center is dead silent right now.

Nolan Winter with a bad ankle injury. pic.twitter.com/wuntJwEGUO
— Brandon Meeks (@MeeksKnowsBall) March 5, 2026

Gard told reporters that he’ll get more information today after Winter gets tested and evaluated, but that early indications are the program "avoided the worst." A school spokesman said Thursday that Winter is simply "day-to-day."

Winter has already dealt with a right ankle injury when he stepped on a foot late in a December win over Central Michigan. He didn't miss any games but needed a few weeks to get back to 100 percent.

"He hasn't rolled that (left) ankle," Gard said. "Always when you do that the first time, there's always an extra amount of pain."

The look on Winter's face suggested the pain was excruciating, as was the hush from the crowd as they watched Gard, athletic trainer Brent Neuharth, and Winter's teammates all crowd around him underneath the basket.

As he lay still for several minutes before being helped to the locker room, unable to put any weight on the leg, it drew painful reminders of how late-season injuries have affected Wisconsin in the postseason.

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) is helped off the court after being injured during the second half. — Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) is helped off the court after being injured during the second half of their game Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Maryland 78-45. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Badgers were ranked No.1 in the AP poll in the first week of March 2007, but center Brian Butch's dislocated elbow after a hard fall at Ohio State. UW lost that outright Big Ten championship that afternoon, was blown out by the Buckeyes in the conference title game 11 days later, didn’t get a No.1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and was eliminated by No.10-seed UNLV in the second round.

Four seasons ago, with Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis not at 100 percent after being injured in the regular-season finale against Nebraska, the Badgers saw starting point guard Chucky Hepburn badly roll his ankle in the first half. Without their floor general, the Badgers went 2-for-22 from three and 14-for-47 overall in a 54-49 loss to No.11 Iowa State.

While Nolan Winter's injury cast a shadow over the night, it shouldn't take away the fact that the #Badgers saw John Blackwell regain his form and that all four seniors produced in an 78-45 victory over Maryland. My takeaways. https://t.co/TEvZB4i6qB
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) March 5, 2026

Wisconsin has had a next-man-up mentality throughout the season. The Badgers won without having John Blackwell against Central Michigan or Andrew Rohde against Minnesota and are 3-2 without Rapp in the lineup.

UW hasn't had Jack Janicki (wrist surgery) in the lineup for parts of the last five games, but senior Braeden Carrington, a 6.6 ppg player over his career, has averaged 15.6 points and shot 49 percent from the field over the last five games. And that includes a scoreless game at Oregon.

However, it's hard to replace a player of Winter’s caliber, who entered the week second in minutes played, third on the team in scoring, and first in rebounding. His 12 double-doubles are second in the Big Ten.

"He's a very important part of our team," Rapp said. "To see him go down is not the best, but we'll know he'll fight and he'll get back as soon as he can."

Rapp had 11 points and hit three three-pointers against the Terrapins, the fourth time in the last eight games he's hit at least three perimeter shots. Bieliauskas is averaging 4.3 points but showed he can score after his 17-point game at No.2 Michigan.

Wednesday’s lopsided score allowed Garlock, the 7-footer from Middleton, to play the most minutes he's seen since January 22.

UW hasn't needed any of the trio to play in a feature role to this point. With the apex of UW's season coming up, that will no longer be the case.

"It's next man up," Blackwell said. "We've had guys out ... I think we've had a next-man up mentality and just picking our brothers up ... Nolan is a fighter. If Nolan has the go to play, he's playing. Whether it's one leg or two legs, he's playing."