Wisconsin Badgers update Nolan Winter's health status before facing No.15 Purdue

Wisconsin junior center Nolan Winter is dealing with a left ankle injury suffered in Wednesday's win over Maryland.

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

The University of Wisconsin has ruled starting junior center Nolan Winter as out for today's regular-season finale against No.15 Purdue.

The move was expected after Winter landed awkwardly on his left ankle after a putback layup with 7:01 remaining in Wednesday's 78-45 victory over Maryland. Writhing in pain, Winter was down on the court for several minutes before being taken to the locker room, unable to put any weight on the foot. A UW official said Winter did not travel with the team to West Lafayette, Ind.

Gard said after the game that it appeared Winter avoided the worst with his injury. A UW spokesman listed Winter as day-to-day on Thursday. Wisconsin's next game will be either Thursday or Friday in the Big Ten Tournament.

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter (31) is helped off the court after being injured during the second half of their game Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Maryland 78-45. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Winter had started 68 consecutive games for the Badgers with 104 consecutive appearances before Sunday. He is nearing the end of his best collegiate season, averaging 13.3 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds.

He ranks second in the Big Ten with 12 double-doubles this season, only the third Badger since 2000 to reach at least 10 double-doubles in a single season, and second in the conference with 14 double-digit rebounding games (trailing Washington's Hannes Steinbach in both categories).

Wisconsin will lean on a frontcourt rotation of sophomore Austin Rapp and freshmen Aleksas Bieliauskas and Will Garlock to provide any kind of interior size against Purdue's starting frontcourt of 6-9 senior Trey Kaufman-Renn and 6-11 senior Oscar Cluff.

Gard also hypothesized that the Badgers could utilize more of their "small-ball" lineup with senior guard Braeden Carrington, who has averaged 15.6 points and shot 49 percent from the field over the last five games off the bench.

"We got a lot of guys who can step into that," Gard said on Wednesday. "We've played different lineups. We've played small ball. We did some of that (Wednesday). I think Bieliauskas has gotten better. I (like) the experience of Will as a true '5.' We'll see where we're at and take the best path forward."