Wisconsin Basketball’s Rotation Shrinks as Greg Gard Leans on “Iron Five”
Greg Gard doesn’t mince words when it comes to accountability-and after Wisconsin’s 76-66 overtime loss to Villanova, the message was loud and clear: the Badgers’ rotation is shrinking, and only a select few are earning his trust on the floor.
This season has been a reversal of fortune for Gard compared to last year. In 2024, he had the luxury of depth-guys like Kamari McGee and Carter Gilmore could come off the bench, hold their own defensively, and occasionally spark the offense.
That safety net is gone. Now, even the starting five has had its shaky moments, and the bench?
It’s offering little in the way of stability.
After the Villanova game, Gard didn’t wait long to draw his line in the sand. Just 25 seconds into his postgame press conference, he laid it out:
“You claw yourself back from down 15. Those guys that were a part of that. Five or six guys showed me who I need to have on the floor, and other guys got to continue to rise to the expectations.”
That comeback effort-erasing a 15-point deficit to force overtime-wasn’t a team-wide surge. It was a select group that Gard credited with playing the right way: defending hard, staying composed, and giving the Badgers a shot to win.
Later, he clarified exactly who those “five or six” were. He called them the “Iron Five,” a nod to the core group he’s riding with right now: Nick Boyd, John Blackwell, Andrew Rohde, Nolan Winter, and Aleksas Bieliauskas. Add Hayden Jones, who contributed key minutes in the second half, and that’s the rotation Gard currently trusts when the game tightens up.
“Well, that iron five or whatever you want to call them-or six with Jones involved there at some in the second half-they set the standard,” Gard said.
That standard? Defensive intensity, discipline, and effort. And right now, not everyone is meeting it.
The biggest name on the outside looking in? Austin Rapp.
A highly touted transfer and one of the marquee additions of the offseason, Rapp’s role has been trending in the wrong direction. Against Villanova, he logged just 15 minutes-his lowest of the season.
For a player expected to be a major contributor, that’s a red flag.
It’s not just Rapp, either. Jack Janicki is another player who has yet to carve out a consistent role.
With Central Michigan and Milwaukee up next, there’s still time for someone to re-enter Gard’s circle of trust. But as of now, the message is simple: play defense, play smart, or watch from the bench.
For a program that prides itself on toughness and execution, Gard’s approach isn’t surprising. He’s not afraid to tighten the rotation if it means getting the kind of effort he demands. The challenge now is whether anyone outside that “Iron Five” can rise to the occasion-and earn their way back into meaningful minutes.
Because right now, the Badgers are running with six.