Ohio State Dominates Early, Survives Late Against Wisconsin to Reach Second Round of Big Ten Tournament, 65-57

Ohio State prolonged its Large Ten Event run to a second day with a 65-57 win over Twelfth-seeded Wisconsin in Wednesday’s first-round matchup on the United Middle. The Thirteenth-seeded Buckeyes avenged their regular-season loss to the Badgers on Feb. 2 and will have ended their opponent’s NCAA Event hopes within the course of.

It was all scarlet and grey early, however the Badgers made Ohio State work for all 40 minutes in a sport that went all the way down to the wire.

The Buckeyes couldn’t miss within the first half. Ohio State shot almost 70% within the first 20 minutes, of which it led for 17:19, and put the sometimes low-scoring Badgers behind by 18 to begin the second half. They elevated that result in 27 earlier than Wisconsin started chipping away at it with a late push spearheaded by veteran ahead Tyler Wahl.

Momentum flipped totally within the remaining couple of minutes, and Wisconsin made it a two-possession sport behind a 3-point barrage down the stretch. With 1:09 on the clock, Ohio State clung onto only a four-point edge. However in the end, the lead was simply sufficient for the Buckeyes, who made sufficient performs to maintain Wisconsin at bay as they held on to safe their first Large Ten Event win in two years.

First Half

Ohio State hit seven of its first 12 pictures to leap out to a nine-point lead, 16-7, by the under-12-minute media timeout. By that time, three Buckeyes had already knocked down a number of pictures from the ground whereas the Badgers collectively missed all however three of their first 10 makes an attempt. And that pattern didn’t let up during the opening half.

Sean McNeil scored seven straight factors for Ohio State in below 90 seconds throughout one stretch earlier than the halfway mark of the interval, and the Buckeyes took a double-digit lead consequently. After McNeil’s third consecutive bucket, Ohio State went up 10 with 11:08 to go. Wisconsin went almost 5 full minutes of sport time with out hitting a subject purpose as a part of the identical stretch.

Ohio State separated itself even additional with a 7-0 run in simply 1:17 to increase its result in 15 factors. The Buckeyes made 9 straight subject objectives as McNeil and Bruce Thornton each went over double figures earlier than the seven-minute mark.

The Badgers had no reply. Whereas Wisconsin missed seven of its final eight pictures to finish the half, Ohio State hit 10 of its remaining 12 to take an 18-point edge to halftime, 36-18. Thornton and McNeil mixed to attain 23 of these by themselves, and the pair solely missed one shot between the 2 of them.

Ohio State shot a scintillating 68.2% from the ground whereas Wisconsin hit simply 30.4% of its makes an attempt on the opposite finish. The Buckeyes additionally pulled down seven extra rebounds and hit 4 extra 3-point pictures than the Badgers, who went 0-for-7 from downtown.

Second Half

The Buckeyes picked up proper the place they left off within the first couple minutes of the ultimate body. Ohio State knocked down its first two pictures to take a 22-point lead on the Badgers, and Wisconsin was compelled to name timeout after a Brice Sensabuagh three on the 16:22 mark

Ohio State scored seven of the primary 9 factors within the interval, and the Badgers missed 5 of their first six makes an attempt from the ground. Oh, and the timeout didn’t assist. The Buckeyes simply stored piling on, and a fast 7-0 run from Thornton and Sensabaugh put them up 27.

However Wisconsin awoke after that. The Badgers fired again with a 9-0 run from 14:17 to 11:59, a 13-3 stretch going again even additional, to make it a 17-point sport. Chris Holtmann was compelled to name timeout as Ohio State watched Wisconsin chip into its lead.

McNeil silenced the predominantly pro-Badger crowd quickly thereafter. The West Virginia crowd stopped Wisconsin’s run with a nook 3-pointer adopted by a transition layup that prolonged Ohio State’s lead again 22 factors.

Proper after that, although, Badger ahead Tyler Wahl scored eight unanswered factors as a part of a 17-5 Badger run all the way down to the 8:38 mark. Wahl took benefit of Ohio State’s lack of measurement inside to attract fouls and rating across the rim, and abruptly the Badgers had been solely down 55-41.

Ohio State adjusted defensively, bringing Felix Okapra again into the sport to stifle the Badger large man, and a Justice Sueing jumper at 4:25 pushed the Buckeye lead again to 16 factors. However after that, Wisconsin went on one other 11-0 run, hitting three straight 3-pointers to make it a five-point sport within the remaining 90 seconds.

Wisconsin’s aggressive fullcourt press put Ohio State on the foul line incessantly down the stretch, and whereas the Buckeyes didn’t make all of them, they hit simply sufficient to carry off the Badgers till the ultimate buzzer.

What’s Subsequent?

Ohio State advances to tackle fifth-seed Iowa within the second spherical of the Large Ten Event at roughly 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The 2 groups cut up their two matchups within the common season.

Recreation Notes

• Ohio State began 4 true freshmen for the fifth time this season as Bruce Thornton, Roddy Gayle, Brice Sensabaugh and Felix Okpara all obtained the beginning alongside veteran ahead Justice Sueing.
• Each Sensabaugh and Wisconsin’s Connor Essegian made the Large Ten All-Freshman crew on Tuesday.
• Wisconsin beat the Buckeyes, 65-60, on the Schottenstein Middle on Feb. 2 within the lone regular-season matchup between the 2 applications.
• Wednesday marked the sixth Large Ten Event matchup between Ohio State and Wisconsin, with the Buckeyes successful 4 of the earlier 5. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers within the Large Ten Event championship sport in each 2007 and 2013.
• Ohio State gained 14 of its earlier 21 Large Ten Event openers getting into this postseason.