Cekovsky’s heel injury isn’t season-ending

The left heel injury Maryland center Michal Cekovsky suffered at practice Tuesday in College Park and that kept him out of Wednesday’s loss at No. 3 Purdue isn’t season-ending, Terps coach Mark Turgeon confirmed Saturday.

While Turgeon said that Cekovsky’s situation is “day by day,” he inferred that Maryland will be without the 7-foot-1, 250-pound Slovakian when Maryland (15-9, 4-7 Big Ten) hosts Wisconsin (10-14, 3-8) today at Xfinity Center in a 1 p.m. game.

Cekovsky, who broke his left ankle last season playing against the Badgers and missed the last six games, suffered a bruised heel after coming down awkwardly following a dunk.

“Structurally he’s fine,” Turgeon said of Cekovsky, whose injury was clarified when he had a CAT scan Thursday. “He’s got a little bruise down there on his heel. We’ll see how much better he can get.”

The injury to Cekovsky is the latest in a season that has been significantly impacted by sophomore forward Justin Jackson tearing the labrum in his right shoulder and redshirt junior forward Ivan Bender tearing the meniscus in his right knee. Both players have been out since late December and will not be back this season.

Freshman center Bruno Fernando, who started in Cekovsky’s place against Purdue, kept the Terps competitive in what turned out to be a 75-67 loss. Fernando, who has had his own problems staying healthy because of ankle injuries and a bout with the flu, held his own against 7-2, 290-pound senior center Isaac Haas.

Fernando finished with his second career double double, with 20 points and 10 rebounds.