What we learned from Wisconsin basketball’s Red-White scrimmage
Wisconsin’s annual Red-White scrimmage offered a first look at Greg Gard and the 2025–26 Badgers, who feature plenty of new faces.
You never want to make too much out of an intrasquad scrimmage in October, but you can still learn a lot. How the pieces fit. Who sets the tone? Who brings energy instead of just reacting to it. On Sunday, inside the Kohl Center, Wisconsin basketball‘s annual Red-White scrimmage offered a first real glimpse at what this team might become.
The Red team, consisting of Braeden Carrington, Nick Boyd, Andrew Rohde, Will Garlock, Nolan Winter, Zach Kinziger, and Jack Robison — edged out the White team of Jack Janicki, Hayden Jones, Austin Rapp, John Blackwell, Aleksas Bieliauskas, Isaac Gard, and Riccardo Greppi, 46–44, in a scrimmage that went down to the final minute.
The numbers tell part of the story: Red shot just 14-of-38 (36.8%) from the field, 6-of-25 (24%) from beyond the arc, and 12-of-14 (85.7%) at the line. The White team wasn’t much better, hitting 18-of-46 (39.1%) overall, 4-of-19 (21.1%) from deep, and 4-of-8 (50%) at the charity stripe.
Red’s ability to manufacture offense late and capitalize from the free-throw line ultimately proved to be the difference.
But the bigger story was how it all looked.
From my perspective, the starting five pieces that were scattered across both teams showed why there’s legitimate optimism about this group’s foundation. John Blackwell and Nolan Winter are clearly the cornerstones of this team and will be the two guys everything else will run through.
Blackwell chipped in 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four assists while looking completely comfortable as the team’s go-to guy. The Michigan native didn’t force much but consistently got to his spots, whether that be attacking the rim or pulling up.
Winter, on the other hand, showed off noticeable growth in both confidence and physicality. He finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and a block on 4-of-8 shooting and 2-of-5 on 3-point attempts, moving more fluidly in the post and using his frame to establish deep position. He looks a lot stronger, and that’s going to matter when Big Ten play starts.
I think Winter’s in for a big junior season.
Then there’s Nick Boyd, who led all scorers with 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a 3-pointer, three rebounds, and two assists. Notably, he connected on all 10 of his free throw attempts. His ability to push tempo and attack off the dribble adds a much-needed dynamic to Wisconsin’s offense, which is centered around spacing, 3-point shooting, and the ability to operate effectively out of the pick and roll.
Wisconsin played at an adjusted tempo that ranked 149th nationally last season — the fastest pace the program has ever posted in the KenPom era, dating back to 2001–02. If they let Boyd truly dictate rhythm and play in transition, I’d bet that number ends up even higher this season.
Andrew Rohde added three points, four rebounds, and two assists, which was exactly the kind of steady, connective performance that defines his game. You could see flashes of his court vision and his comfort initiating offense, which gives Wisconsin flexibility when Boyd or Blackwell need to come off the floor. Rohde’s skill set will help them play more cohesively.
Austin Rapp, meanwhile, continues to look like a perfect system fit. The Portland transfer put up 15 points and five rebounds, but his real impact came through spacing and decision-making. He moves well without the ball, finds openings, and doesn’t overcomplicate things. He’s going to be a plug-and-play forward and a shooting threat who helps this team right away. His presence only adds another layer to the offense, opening up even more of what Winter can do around the rim and on the perimeter.
Beyond the projected starters, the bench showed promise, too.
Hayden Jones, the freshman from New Zealand, chipped in four points, three rebounds, two assists, and a pair of steals for the White team, displaying versatility and a willingness to attack the basket. He’s still developing as a shooter (0-of-2 from deep), but his composure and comfort level in the offensive system stood out. I could see a world where the versatile 6-foot-6 guard works his way into the rotation.
Jack Janicki added three points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. This staff is counting on him to be a major contributor off the bench and a glue guy whose retention was viewed as a big win internally. The former walk-on still has room to grow offensively as a redshirt sophomore, but the effort and energy are always there. I’m genuinely excited to see what another year of development looks like for him.
Aleksas Bieliauskas, the 6-foot-10 forward from Lithuania, is a player this staff was genuinely excited to bring in. He’s experienced in the system, skilled as a shooter, and poised to compete for that top frontcourt spot off the bench. He finished with six points, six rebounds, and an assist on 3-of-9 shooting, but also turned it over three times. The next step for him is playing with more physicality. Too often, Bieliauskas settled for floaters instead of finishing strong through contact. The tools are there for him to be a rock-solid player for the Badgers; he just needs to lean into them.
Braeden Carrington scored six points with two rebounds, albeit on 2-of-8 shooting and 1-of-7 from beyond the arc. Still, Carrington provided exactly what you expect from a reliable 3-and-D veteran. He was poised, steady, and capable of slotting in anywhere on the wing. He’s going to play a big role off the bench for Wisconsin this season, giving them an experienced option who can defend multiple spots and hit some shots.
Will Garlock added two points and three boards, flashing good instincts as a rim runner and showing that his length and athleticism can translate in small doses. I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw the floor in a limited capacity this season. I think this staff wants to get him experience. The ceiling here is a lot higher than I thought coming out of high school, even if he’s not a finished product or guaranteed to contribute this year.
Freshman Zach Kinziger, meanwhile, grabbed two rebounds and missed his lone 3-point attempt, but his clean, compact shooting stroke is going to play in the Big Ten soon enough. There’s an uphill climb ahead given the guard depth in front of him, but I think Kinziger will be a core piece of this program before long. This kid can really shoot, and he’s cut from the same cloth as so many Wisconsin two-guards that came before him.
Riccardo Greppi isn’t someone I envision being a preferred option off the bench this season, but he’s a physical presence who can give you a few tough minutes if the team gets into foul trouble. Greppi works hard on the glass and finished the scrimmage with four rebounds. More than anything, the Italian center feels like a guy who’ll make practices more competitive.
Jack Robison added three points and two steals, knocking down 1-of-3 attempts from deep. He’s a really good shooter, no question, but it’s hard to see a clear path to minutes this season. Another year of development for Robison, especially if he can find ways to impact the game beyond shooting the ball, could make him a name worth watching down the line.
Isaac Gard hit a three, grabbed two rebounds and had two steals.
Temple transfer Elijah Gray didn’t play and was on the sidelines in sweats. He’s a bit of a wildcard in Wisconsin’s frontcourt mix. Gray has experience, but he’s a little undersized, doesn’t space the floor particularly well, and does most of his work as a high-usage finisher around the rim. We’ll see how things shake out, but my sense is the staff feels confident enough in some of the other frontcourt options to let that competition play out naturally.
The Red team ultimately pulled it out with late execution and poise at the line, hitting 12-of-14 free throws compared to White’s 4-of-8 and winning the rebounding battle 37–33. Red also controlled the interior with 21 points in the paint, while the White squad leaned heavily on jump shooting that just didn’t fall. Blackwell hit a clutch bucket late to give White a chance, but his final look in the closing seconds didn’t go down, sealing a 46–44 win for the Red team in front of a solid crowd at the Kohl Center.
If anything, the scrimmage reaffirmed that this roster makes sense. Blackwell and Winter are the foundation. Boyd’s tempo and ability in the pick-and-roll is going to open this offense up even more. Rohde’s playmaking and positional versatility tie it all together. Rapp looks tailor-made for what Greg Gard wants Wisconsin’s offense to evolve into.
And for the first time in a while, this bench is filled with a bunch of guys who are legitimately in the mix, who each bring a useful element to the table and have a real case for minutes. It feels like a rotation that might run a bit deeper than usual, and one that could take some in-season tinkering to figure out which combinations click and who should earn a steady role.
There’s still plenty to clean up. The outside shooting numbers were rough on both sides, and physicality inside remains a work in progress, but the shooting splits don’t worry me in the slightest. There’s enough shooting on this roster, enough balance and complementary skill, that it all makes sense. There’s no question this group has the pieces needed to compete.
“There are a lot of things to work on and get better at,” Gard said. “We didn’t keep the pace we wanted. We let off the pace at times. We didn’t throw the ball inside as much. We missed some rollers at times. We turned down some open guys at times. But all in all, there are a lot of positive things. It’s the last time we get to compete against each other in front of everybody else. The next time is against the other opponent.
“There’s a lot to like with this group, but the thing that I like more is that there’s a lot we have to get better at, which is exciting. It puts the ceiling much higher for this group.”
The early takeaway? The pieces fit. The chemistry is building. And this group looks a lot more like a Wisconsin team than you’d think, given it has nine new players. They’re connected, balanced, and finding their rhythm.
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And what about Temple transfer Elijah Gray?