Ohio State is in the midst of the first two-game skid of the Chris Holtmann era as the Buckeyes open Big Ten play on the road in Madison, Wis., on Saturday.
| Who | Where | When | TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin (3-4) | Kohl Center | 5 p.m. | FOX |
The early start to conference play comes as a result of the Big Ten Tournament being played one week earlier in February so that the event can be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City
The Badgers' 3-4 record is deceiving, as all four losses have come to teams that are ranked in the top 25. On the flip side, Ohio State has two losses to unranked teams and a third loss to Gonzaga, last year's national runner-up.
Wisconsin enters the game as the favorite despite being under .500 on the season.
Opponent Breakdown
The Badgers are led by post player Ethan Happ, who has dominated the paint so far this season for Wisconsin.
The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 17.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season, posting his best performance in a 70-65 loss to Baylor in the Hall of Fame Classic. Happ scored 23 points and pulled down 13 boards in the loss to the Bears.
Happ's weakness so far this season, however, has been his free throw shooting. The big man is shooting just 58.3 percent from the charity stripe this season and has attempted 36 free throws in seven games.
Starting guards D'Mitrik Trice (10.4) and Brad Davison (10.9) average double-digit points per game for the Badger backcourt, with a good majority of their damage coming from long range.
Between the two, they average to shoot 39.6 percent from three-point range, and have accounted for 25 of Wisconsin's 49 made threes this season.
Dominating the basketball is former Ohio State target and Ohio native Khalil Iverson. The Delaware, Ohio native is averaging 2.3 assists per game but only 7.1 points per contest, and has attempted just six three-point shots all season.
Wisconsin's defense is holding opponents to just 61.6 points per game, and has a tendency, much like former coach Bo Ryan's teams, to run down the shot clock in order to limit opponents' offensive possessions.
Buckeye Breakdown
Ohio State is coming off back-to-back losses, and both have seen the Buckeyes blow double-digit leads in the second half.
Much of Ohio State's struggles have been due to turnovers, many of which are coming from point guard C.J. Jackson. Through eight games, Jackson is averaging 3.5 giveaways per game while Jae'Sean Tate, who has played the role of point-forward at times this season, is averaging 2.9 turnovers. The Buckeyes have continued to struggle against 2-3 zones this year, which has resulted in a number of their turnovers.
The Buckeyes have played the majority of their last four games without the services of Micah Potter, who suffered an ankle injury in a win over Northeastern. In his stead, Kaleb Wesson has started Ohio State's last four games in the post and performed admirably.
Wesson posted a career-high 15 points in a loss to Clemson, but also converted on his first career three-ball and corralled seven boards. In four starts, he is averaging 11.0 points per game.
With just seven rebounds against Clemson, Keita Bates-Diop is no longer averaging a double-double, but is still without a doubt Ohio State's most dominant player. Bates-Diop is averaging 17.4 points and 9.9 boards per game, while also leading the team in three-point shooting, burying long-range shots at a 41.9 percent clip.
How It Will Play Out
The Buckeyes enter Madison with not much momentum and question marks at the post position, as Potter continues to battle with a sprained ankle. Without Potter, Happ could have a big day down low against Ohio State, either scoring or kicking out on double-teams for three point shots.
The Badgers rank 32nd in Ken Pomeroy's advanced statistical rating system, while Ohio State checks in at 75th. This will be Ohio State's first true road game of the season, and Wisconsin doesn't usually lose at home.
Prediction: Wisconsin 55, Ohio State 44
