Ohio State @ Wisconsin preview
Kohl Center
Last Meeting ( Feb 13, 2024 ) Ohio St. 54, Wisconsin 62
Resurgent Wisconsin, which rejoined the AP rankings at No. 24 this week, will look for its sixth consecutive victory when it faces Ohio State on Tuesday in Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin (13-3, 3-2 Big Ten) pulled away in the second half for an 80-59 victory over Minnesota on Friday, despite playing without Max Klesmit (ankle). The injured guard's status for Tuesday was uncertain.
"We'll see how he responds, but I think he's feeling better and better every day," Badgers coach Greg Gard said Monday.
Ohio State (10-6, 2-3) lost at home to then-No. 15 Oregon on Thursday, 73-71.
Wisconsin opened the season 8-0, then dropped three straight, including its first two conference games. Since then, the Badgers have bounced back with five straight wins, the past three in conference play.
John Tonje leads a balanced Wisconsin attack with an average of 18.3 points per game. John Blackwell averages 15.4, and he is followed by Nolan Winter (11.0), Klesmit (10.5), and Steven Crowl (10.3).
Winter pulls down a team-best 6.1 rebounds per game, followed by Crowl at 5.6.
Crowl had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting against the Golden Gophers. Over the Badgers' five-game winning streak, the 7-footer is averaging 16.6 points and shooting 76.2 percent (32 of 42), has made 6 of 11 from beyond the arc and is pulling down 6.4 rebounds per game.
"He understands how good he can be when he's aggressive, and he's been assertive and dominant in his own way," Gard said following the Minnesota game. "I'm just happy for Steve because he's been committed to this place and worked extremely hard. As I've said, an aggressive Steve is a good Steve, and we've got to keep that going."
The Badgers, playing at a more up-tempo pace this season, average 83.1 points and allow 70.6. Dating back to last season, Wisconsin is 25-1 when holding opponents to 70 points or fewer, including 8-1 this season.
Wisconsin, 9-1 at home, leads the nation in free-throw percentage at 85.1 percent.
The Badgers have been effective recently from 3-point range, as well. They were 11 of 28 against Minnesota, but 8 of 15 in the decisive second half. Earlier this month, they hit a school and Big Ten record 21 3-pointers in a 116-85 rout of Iowa.
Four of Ohio State's losses came against teams that were ranked at the time, including each of the Buckeyes' past three defeats. The Buckeyes led Oregon 61-53 with just over six minutes left and 71-70 with 12 seconds to go.
Bruce Thornton averages a team-leading 17.1 points, while Devin Royal adds 13.9 points and a team-high 7.4 rebounds per game. John Mobley Jr. averages 12.2 points and Micah Parrish 10.2.
Ohio State scores 81.1 points per contest and gives up 71.1. The Buckeyes had 14 turnovers vs. Oregon, raising their total to 44 in the past three games.
"We can't have self-inflected issues. We have to limit those better," Ohio State coach Jake Diebler said following the Oregon game. "You can look at the stat sheet, and I think the eyes on the game can tell you, we had multiple guys playing not near to what they're capable of. We were in a position to beat a Top 15 team in the country."
Wisconsin swept the Buckeyes last season and has won seven of the past 10 matchups. Crowl had 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 62-54 Wisconsin at Madison in the latest meeting.
--Field Level Media