Wisconsin nearing full strength as Nolan Winter, Jack Janicki return to practice
Greg Gard said Nolan Winter and Jack Janicki took a "big jump" in practice as Wisconsin prepares to face High Point in the NCAA Tournament.
The University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team may be getting closer to full strength at the right time.
After spending the last few weeks navigating the absence of two key rotational pieces, the 5th-seeded Badgers received one of their most encouraging updates yet from head coach Greg Gard after practice ahead of Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament opener against 12-seed High Point.
Nolan Winter (ankle) and Jack Janicki (wrist), both sidelined with injuries, took a big step forward Monday afternoon. The duo returned to practice after missing time during a stretch in which the Badgers went 6–2 without Janicki and 3–1 in games where both he and Winter were unavailable.
“Both of them were in full-go mode, other than contact stuff, major contact stuff. So it’s the most any of them have done,” Gard said.
“They both ran full court in some skeleton stuff we did, both were in the drills. It was a big jump today, and everyone felt pretty good coming out of it, so the plan is to take another step tomorrow.”
In other words, Wisconsin may soon have its full rotation of preferred options available for the big dance. That possibility matters for a team built around a balanced rotation and an inside-out frontcourt presence, with Winter serving as one of the core pieces that anchors much of what the Badgers do.
Getting Janicki back would also provide another versatile option off the bench — a player whose defensive activity and ability to guard multiple spots have quietly added value throughout the season.
Winter, a 7-foot forward, has been one of the most reliable players on the roster this season. He enters the NCAA Tournament averaging 13.3 points, a team-leading 8.6 rebounds per game, while shooting an efficient 56.9% from the field. His production on the glass has been especially important. Winter has recorded 12 double-doubles this season, the second-most in the Big Ten conference, and has reached double-digit rebounds 14 times.
Durability had also become part of the Lakeville North product’s identity before the recent absence. Winter had started 68 straight games and appeared in 104 consecutive contests for Wisconsin before an ankle injury suffered against Maryland on March 4 brought that streak to an end.
Janicki’s situation has been a little different, but it still created a noticeable gap in the rotation as one of Wisconsin’s trusted reserves.
The 6-foot-5 guard suffered a wrist injury during Wisconsin’s Feb. 17 loss at Ohio State that required surgery. While his offensive production has been modest this season, Janicki carved out a steady role because of his defensive activity and versatility on the perimeter. Before the injury, he was averaging 2.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per game while taking on tough assignments against opposing guards.
Wisconsin has managed to stay afloat without both players.
That stretch forced others on the team to take on larger roles, with starters logging heavier minutes and the Badgers occasionally experimenting with smaller lineups. Braeden Carrington has stepped up in the backcourt, while Aleksas Bieliauskas and Austin Rapp have handled increased minutes in the frontcourt. Freshmen Hayden Jones and Will Garlock have also seen expanded opportunities during the stretch run.
The result is a team that may actually be deeper than it was before.
That added workload could prove valuable if Winter and Janicki return to the rotation as Wisconsin prepares to face High Point in the first round Thursday in Portland. For a Badgers team that already believes its best basketball may still be ahead, getting two experienced contributors back into the mix could add another dimension to a group that has steadily gained confidence that it can go toe to toe with anyone down the stretch.
And if Gard’s injury update was any indication, Wisconsin might be getting closer to that version of itself just as the NCAA Tournament begins.
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