Nolan Winter makes bold declaration for Wisconsin Badgers NCAA Tournament opener

Wisconsin junior center Nolan Winter is ready to return to the lineup after missing the last four games with a left ankle injury.

Feb 25, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) scores during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Nolan Winter has had enough of sitting.

On the eve of Wisconsin's NCAA Tournament first-round game, Wisconsin's junior center confirmed to reporters that he will be playing against Big South champion High Point in the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

Asked #Badgers 7-footer Nolan Winter in the locker room just now: Are you going tomorrow?

"Yeah," he replied, "I'm going tomorrow."

— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) March 18, 2026

The news doesn't come as a surprise after head coach Greg Gard told reporters that Winter went through a full practice (minus full contact work) on Monday, the most he had done since injuring ankle on March 4.

Gard confirmed Winter's diagnosis, saying he expected the junior to be "full go" after going through practice on Tuesday.

Winter has been an impactful player for Wisconsin in scoring and rebounding.

The team-leader with 8.6 rebounds per game, Winter is fourth in the league in rebounding average and has led the Badgers in the figure in 25 his 30 games this year. Third on the team in scoring (13.3 ppg), Winter is shooting 69.9 percent on two pointers, which ranks 10th nationally (min. 200 FGAs). No qualifying Big Ten player has shot 70 percent since the 1986-87 season.

Those successes have Winter ranking second in the Big Ten with 12 double-doubles, joining All-Americans Ethan Happ and Frank Kaminsky as the only Badgers in the last 25 years to have at least 10 double-doubles in a season.

Nolan Winter running. Was in what looked very nearly a full sprint earlier. pic.twitter.com/iMer0MP0Ma

— Michael McCleary (@MikeJMcCleary) March 18, 2026

He's one of the few players who has NCAA Tournament experience for Wisconsin, having played three career games and averaged 8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 block in 19.0 minutes per game last year.

Wisconsin has survived without Winter, going 3-1 in his absence with a pair of top-15 wins, with sophomore Austin Rapp stepping into the starting lineup and freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas performing in an increased role.

Rapp had 17 points in a win at No.15 Purdue, eight points and a season-high nine rebounds over No.9 Illinois, and 18 points on 6-for-10 three-point shooting against No.3 Michigan. Bieliauskas has averaged 10 points and 6.5 rebounds over the last four games, including scoring 16 points against the Boilermakers.