In what is always a difficult venue for any road opponent, the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin was no different on this night as Ohio State lost for the 3rd time in 4 games, falling to the host Badgers 70-68 to slip to 10-7 and 2-4. Wisconsin won their 6th straight and improved to 14-3 and 4-2 in Big Ten play with the win. The Buckeyes dug themselves a 17 point hole at halftime thanks to a late 8-0 run by the Badgers and nearly climbed all the way back, falling just short in a game marred by a massive foul disparity. After an abysmal first half shooting the basketball, the Buckeyes rebounded by shooting 51.6% in the second half, 42.4% for the game to make it interesting. The Buckeyes also did a much better job valuing the basketball in the second half, turning it over only twice after turning it over a whopping 9 times in the first 20 minutes. The combination of good floor spacing, better shot selection and taking care of the basketball led to what nearly was an incredible comeback, but on this night, it was not meant to be. The Badgers shot only 41.7% for the game, 39% in the second half, but made 25 of 28 free throws compared to just 13 of 15 for the Buckeyes. Bruce Thornton scored 19 of his 21 points after the half to lead Ohio State, while Devin Royal added 12. Wisconsin was led by John Tonje with 17, John Blackwell had 15 and Steven Crowl added 14. 

It was not a good start for the Buckeyes at all. After turning it over on their opening two possessions, Ohio State was still able to get on the board first when Sean Stewart took an interior pass from Devin Royal for a dunk, but that was all that went well in the opening minutes. Wisconsin scored the next 9, all from Badger guard Johan Blackwell to open up a 9-2 lead at the first media timeout as the Buckeyes missed 7 of their first 8 shots. The Badgers added to their lead with a pair of free throws to extend the lead before a Thornton jumper ended the field goal drought for the Buckeyes. A steal on the other end led to a transition opportunity and Ques Glover lobbed to Evan Mahaffey for a dunk to get Ohio State to within 5. The Badgers answered by scoring the next four leading into the under 12 where the Badgers led the Buckeyes 15-6. The Buckeyes would out score the Badgers 5-4 over the next 3 minutes, all coming from Aaron Bradshaw who was the beneficiary of a banked in triple to cut the lead to 19-11 at the under 8, however, just before the timeout, Bradshaw picked up his 3rd personal. With Stewart already sidelined with 2 fouls, Jake Diebler went to the services of little used freshman Ivan Njegovan to give them minutes. A 10-5 Badger run, half from the stripe, increased the lead to 29-16 at the under 4 as foul trouble had forced Ohio State to play small and the Badgers took advantage to extend the lead back to double-digits. The Buckeyes cut into the lead when Parrish drilled a jumper from the right elbow and after the Buckeyes forced a turnover, Royal scored off the glass from the right block. The run was short lived as an 8-0 run, including 4 free throws answered led to the halftime break with the Badgers rolling, leading Ohio State 37-20. The foul and free throw disparity was the difference in the first half of basketball as the Badgers took 14 free throws, making 13 of them, compared to just 1 of 1 for Ohio State, with the Buckeyes whistled for 12 fouls to just 6 for the home team. In addition to the home cooking, Ohio State didn’t do themselves any favors from the floor, hitting just 9 of 28 for 32% and 1 of 7 from beyond the arc. Wisconsin hit 44% from the floor and 2 of 11 from three. In addition to the poor shooting, the Buckeyes turned it over 9 times leading to 11 Wisconsin points enabling the Badgers to take a comfortable half time lead. Steven Crowl led all scorers with 10 for Wisconsin, while Ohio State got 5 each from Devin Royal and Aaron Bradshaw in what was just a sad first half of basketball for the Buckeyes.

The Buckeyes came roaring out of the locker room, opening the second half with a 10-2 run with the first 7 coming from Thornton and capped by a John Mobley three, cutting the lead to 39-30 at the under 16 media timeout. The Badgers stopped the run, scoring 5 out of the next 7 to extend the lead and after a Mahaffey bucket, two more Badgers free throws dropped to extend the lead to 12. Ivan Njegovan split a pair of free throws which preceded an incredible reverse dunk by the Badgers, but back to back Thornton scores and a Badger turnover sent the teams to their respective benches with Wisconsin holding a 48-39 lead with 11:06 to play. Out of the timeout, a Njegovan rebound and put back and a Royal three cut the lead to 4, but an old-fashioned three point play on the other end quelled the run and extended the deficit back to 7. A pair of Thornton free throws and a Stewart bucket on the right block sandwiched a Badger bucket and Ohio State took a timeout with 8:06 to play, trailing 53-48. The teams traded triples with Parrish drilling a right corner three for the Buckeyes and at the under 8 media timeout and 6:37 to play, Wisconsin was clinging to a 56-51 lead. The Badgers did work at the line again as the stripes tried to even out the fouls. The lead still stayed at 5 until a Badger triple dropped at the 4 minute mark extending the lead to 8 and at the final media timeout of the game, Wisconsin led 65-57. A pair of Thornton free throws out of the timeout cut the lead to 6 and facing backcourt pressure, the Badgers called a timeout just before a 10 second violation was called. The Buckeyes forced a timeout in the halfcourt and after an Ohio State timeout, Mobley split a pair of free throws, trimming the deficit to 5 with just over 1 ½ to play. The Buckeyes got a defensive stop and Royal scored from the right block trimming the lead to 3 with under a minute to go. Another Badger miss clanged out of bounds with 26.5 seconds to play, giving the ball back to Ohio State and after crossing the timeline, Jake Diebler took a timeout with 24 seconds to play. Parrish drove to the rim and scored off the window cutting the lead to 1 with 16 seconds to go. A backcourt foul put Wisconsin on the stripe. The front end clanged off target but kicked out to the top where Wisconsin retrieved the ball and a foul put Wisconsin back on the line and this time both dropped. Thornton was tackled crossing halfcourt but no intentional foul was called, so he went to the line where he hit the pair with 7 seconds to go. A quick foul that was a near steal sent Wisconsin back to the line and both fell again. Mobley was fouled racing up the floor and he made the pair with 3.7 seconds to play and the Badger lead at 1. Wisconsin got away with an obvious travel inbounding the basketball in the backcourt. Wisconsin missed the first free throw and the Badgers called a timeout but with just 1.5 seconds to play, it was going to take a miracle. The second dropped out of the timeout and Ohio State threw a long pass up court but Royal caught the ball with a foot on the sideline ending the ballgame in the Badger, officiating aided win. 

This game is a microcosm of the issues this team has faced all season long. They continue to struggle on both ends in the post and teams have adjusted to extend their defense to the perimeter and when the outside shot is not falling, they have a hard time competing. In addition, the inexperience for much of the roster reflects in their court awareness and shot selection for long stretches creates big runs for their opponents putting the Buckeyes in big holes. While they continue to fight and claw, unfortunately the deficit in this game was just too much to overcome and they came up just short. Although road wins are always difficult, this was a game they could have had with 2 consistent halves of basketball. At this point in the season, while they can continue to improve, and they will, they are who they are, and right now it’s not quite good enough to translate into wins. The season is getting short quickly and they are running out of time to make something out of this year. They are going to have to start stringing wins together soon or face the imminent possibility of another season where they miss the NCAA tournament. They certainly have the ability to make a run in a very average, but deep conference, but it won’t be easy. It’s hard to say a game is a must win, but playing at home on Friday night, it’s as close to a must win as they come this time of the year. 

Ohio State hits the hardwood again on Friday night for a home tilt with the Indiana Hoosiers. Game time is scheduled for 8PM and airing on Fox. 

-Jason Harris