After falling three points shy of a second win against Michigan, Wisconsin enters the 2026 NCAA Tournament as a five-seed, setting it up against 12-seeded High Point. The Badgers ride a 5-1 run into their third consecutive March Madness appearance, mostly without center Nolan Winter, who has missed the last four games with an ankle injury. Here is everything we know about Nolan Winter's injury and his playing status against High Point.
Nolan Winter injury status vs. High Point
Wisconsin has been superb without Nolan Winter, but Greg Gard will be happy to have his center back on the court. The Badgers confirmed that the junior will end his four-game absence and return against High Point in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
Winter's return will be a welcome sight for Wisconsin's barely-there interior presence, even if those issues did not affect the team in his absence. Winter leads the team with 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while being its third-leading scorer with 13.3 points per game.
As much as Winter's return improves Wisconsin on the block, Gard might have a difficult time retooling his lineup. The Badgers have had immense success with sharpshooter Austin Rapp in the starting lineup for Winter, which has been a major factor in their recent form. Rapp was the sole reason they nearly upset Michigan for a second time in the Big Ten Tournament, going 6-for-10 from distance to briefly give his team the lead late in the second half.
Despite his recent surge, Rapp will likely revert to his sixth man role, allowing Winter to rejoin Nick Boyd, John Blackwell, Andrew Rohde and Aleksas Bieliauskas in the starting lineup. However, it would not be much of a surprise if Rapp's recent success convinced Gard to keep him in the opening group over Bieliauskas.
Winter's return sets the table for both Wisconsin and High Point to play at full strength on Thursday. The Badgers' only listed injury is reserve guard Jack Janicki, who has not played since Feb. 17, while the Panthers will be fully healthy.
Wisconsin injury report
Jack Janicki — OUT, Broken wrist
High Point injury report
None
