There’s no time for Ohio State to lick its wounds following the team’s loss at Indiana four days ago.
Wisconsin
Badgers
No. 15 Wisconsin is swinging through Value City Arena on Wednesday, providing the Buckeyes with their first ranked test in conference play. The Badgers stand at 11-3 on the season and enter on a four-game winning streak.
Ohio State’s record may be one win better, but it’s taken some impressive squads to beat the Badgers this year. Wisconsin’s three defeats are at the hands of No. 5 Tennessee, No. 8 Arizona and Providence, who received votes in this week’s AP Poll.
Wisconsin also holds a top-15 win over No. 11 Marquette.
"It's probably as deep and as talented a Wisconsin team as we've seen," Holtmann said. "I know Johnny Davis was great for them (a few years ago)... but I think the depth of this team is a little better. We say it every year with Wisconsin, but they're so old. But they have a number of guys – with the addition of a couple of freshmen – that have really helped them."
Need to Know
A Methodical Approach
Wisconsin boasts a top-50 offense when looking at its efficiency, as the Badgers post 114.2 points per 100 possessions, ranking 46th nationally. They rank just 164th in points scored per game, however, which is a testament to their slow pace of play under ninth-year head coach Greg Gard.
KenPom’s efficiency and tempo metrics – which are adjusted for a team’s opponents – show an even wider gap. Despite boasting the seventh-most efficient offense in the country per KenPom, Wisconsin averages the 318th-most possessions per 40 minutes.
“They’re probably playing a little bit faster than what they’ve played in recent (seasons),” Holtmann said. “They certainly get some easy baskets. The addition of (AJ) Storr has been a great addition for them. But they’re really efficient with their offense.”
Ball Security
Wisconsin is one of a handful of teams across the country that turn the ball over less than 10 times per game. The Badgers’ 9.9 giveaways per contest are the 27th-fewest in D-1 college basketball, limiting their opponent’s ability to create transition opportunities and push the pace.
Three important Buckeyes
Bruce Thornton
Ohio State will need its brightest star and offensive maestro on point to pick up a top-15 win. Following a 24-point, seven-assist outing against Rutgers, Thornton shot 4-of-17 from the field and 0-of-7 from three at Indiana. It was just the second game all season in which he fell short of double-figures with nine points.
Evan Mahaffey
Mahaffey’s defense will play an important role if Ohio State is to pull out a win against Wisconsin. He’ll be one of the players matching up with leading Badger scorer AJ Storr, and Mahaffey’s versatility could also prove vital in clogging up an offense heavily based in the halfcourt.
Roddy Gayle Jr.
Perhaps no Buckeye endured more struggles against the Hoosiers than Gayle, who not only shot 3-of-17 from the field but also turned the ball over five times while recording just one assist. He’s only a couple of games removed from a 32-point showcase against West Virginia, so consistency is a top objective for the Ohio State shooting guard.
"It's decision-making combined with his ball skills growing and getting better (that needs to improve)," Holtmann said. "I think this is part of the process for a young player becoming and growing into a good player. It's not gonna happen overnight. We didn't expect it to. ... But he's gotta make some corrections in terms of simplifying his attack, reading situations better."
Three notable Badgers
AJ Storr
| No. | Player | Position | Height | Weight | 2023-24 Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Chucky Hepburn | G | 6-2 | 195 | 8.9 PPG, 4.0 APG |
| 11 | Max Klesmit | G | 6-4 | 200 | 7.2 PPG, 1.2 APG |
| 2 | AJ Storr | G | 6-7 | 205 | 14.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG |
| 5 | Tyler Wahl | F | 6-9 | 225 | 11.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG |
| 22 | Steven Crowl | F | 7-0 | 247 | 12.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG |
A transfer from St. John’s, Storr has been the Badgers’ top offensive weapon in 2023-24. He scores a team-high 14.7 points per game, entrusted to take 4.1 more shots per game than any other teammate.
“He’s a terrific offensive player,” Holtmann said. “I think it’ll be a number of guys (guarding him), but they have other really good players as we all know.”
Steven Crowl
Ohio State faces another vaunted seven-foot Big Ten big man in Crowl, the Badgers’ most efficient scorer who shoots 61.1% from the field to rack up 12.6 points per game. He also paces the team in rebounding with 7.6 boards per contest. He can even step outside and knock down some threes when called upon, shooting an unbelievable 66.7% from distance even if he only takes 1.3 attempts per contest.
Chucky Hepburn
While double-figure scorer Tyler Wahl is also a problem in the frontcourt for Wisconsin, Hepburn is the team’s maestro from point guard with a team-high four assists per game. He adds 8.9 points and a team-high 1.7 steals per contest, good for seventh in the Big Ten.
How it plays out
Line: Ohio State -1, Over/Under 141.5
Wisconsin’s execution and ability to control the pace of play ultimately wins the day. Still, I’m expecting a close contest in this one. If Ohio State does manage to win on its home floor, it’s going to go a long way in building both momentum and the Buckeyes’ resume. Avoiding the turnovers that cost them at Indiana will be key.
Prediction: Wisconsin 71, Ohio State 67
