Wisconsin Spoils Purdue's Senior Day With Upset Victory

Badgers hit 18 3-pointers to defeat No. 15 Purdue on the road

Mar. 8, 2026 at 12:58am

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In a high-scoring affair, the Wisconsin Badgers upset No. 15 Purdue 93-87 on the Boilermakers' Senior Day. Despite playing without injured forward Nolan Winter, the Badgers got strong performances from Austin Rapp and Aleksas Bieliauskas, who combined for 33 points and 8 three-pointers. Wisconsin shot a blistering 18-of-34 from beyond the arc as a team, including a late scoring surge from guard Nick Boyd to seal the victory.

Why it matters

This win is a significant accomplishment for Wisconsin, as they were able to defeat a top-15 ranked opponent on the road without one of their key starters. The Badgers have now beaten three top-15 teams away from home this season, showcasing their ability to win tough games in hostile environments. For Purdue, the loss spoils their Senior Day celebration and raises questions about their ability to defend the perimeter against elite shooting teams.

The details

Wisconsin went with Austin Rapp and freshman Aleksas Bieliauskas in place of the injured Nolan Winter, and the duo combined for 33 points and 8 made three-pointers. The Badgers as a team shot 18-of-34 from beyond the arc, including a late 10-point scoring burst from guard Nick Boyd to put the game away. Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff had strong games, but the Boilermakers struggled to contain Wisconsin's perimeter shooting.

  • Wisconsin hit 12 of their first 20 three-point attempts.
  • The Badgers led by as many as 10 points in the second half.
  • Nick Boyd scored 10 straight points for Wisconsin down the stretch.

The players

Greg Gard

Head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team.

Nolan Winter

Junior forward for the Wisconsin Badgers who missed the game due to an ankle injury.

Austin Rapp

Wisconsin forward who made his first start since November and scored 17 points with 3 assists.

Aleksas Bieliauskas

Freshman forward for Wisconsin who scored 16 points and shot 4-for-5 from three-point range.

Nick Boyd

Wisconsin guard who scored 23 points, including 10 straight late in the game to seal the victory.

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What they’re saying

“Tremendous, tremendous basketball game between two terrific teams. I think we got Purdue's best and I think Purdue got our best. Just matching blow for blow, shot for shot...From a mental standpoint in the timeouts and huddles, very good. Our guys stayed really calm and confident.”

— Greg Gard, Head Coach, Wisconsin Badgers

“March is about who can make plays. And when you have two of the best guards in the country, you get wins like this.”

— Nick Boyd

What’s next

The Badgers will await their seeding and opponent for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, while Purdue will look to rebound in the Big Ten Tournament.

The takeaway

Wisconsin's ability to win tough road games against ranked opponents, even without a key starter, demonstrates their resilience and versatility as a team. Their hot shooting performance from three-point range proved to be the difference, as they were able to overcome Purdue's strong interior play and senior day emotions.