Wisconsin Badgers
9-5,1-2Big Ten
Purdue
13-1,3-0Big Ten
Badgers fall to No. 5 Purdue
January 03, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Nick Boyd posts game-high 24 points
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's basketball team fell to No. 5 Purdue 89-73 on Saturday at the Kohl Center.
Senior point guard Nick Boyd led UW (9-5, 1-2 B1G) with 24 points on 7-of-13 shooting, and went 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Nolan Winter had 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, notching his seventh double-double of the season. The junior has now scored double-figures in seven-consecutive contests. John Blackwell and Austin Rapp each added 9 points.
The Badgers opened the game on a 9-2 run, punctuated by six early points from Blackwell, but couldn't settle in once Purdue (13-1, 3-0 B1G) gained the lead. Bucky trailed 45-38 at the halftime break.
The Boilermakers opened the second on an 8-2 run, gaining separation, before Wisconsin launched a 13-2 burst into the 4-minute media timeout. Despite the momentum, the Badgers couldn't crawl back late.
Both teams finished the day with efficient shooting from the field, each making over 40-percent of their shots. The Badgers finished 24-for-57, overall.
Up Next: The Badgers conclude their homestand with a matchup against UCLA on Tuesday at the Kohl Center. The Bruins (10-4, 2-1 B1G) are coming off a 74-61 defeat to Iowa earlier on Saturday. Fans can buy tickets on UWBadgers.com. Those who can't make it to the game can watch on Peacock or listen on Badger Radio Network.
From the Court
UW Head Coach Greg Gard
On the loss
"For the most of the first half, we did a decent job defensively. In the second half, the first 10 possessions were the game... For as good as a job as we did for 75-percent of the first half of keeping the ball out of the paint, we did not do the same. As I told the team, we're that close, yet that close. We have things to get more consistent at. We have a plan, we need to work the plan and stay committed to the plan. For us, it has to be at a higher level, and more consistent level for longer stretches of time. I do like how we battled back, there was no give, and we were pretty aggressive."
