The (#21) Ohio State Buckeyes take on the (#22) Wisconsin Badgers at 12:00 pm ET on BTN from Value City Arena.
The now 7-2 Buckeyes look to extend their win streak to four games following a gritty win over the Towson Tigers on Wednesday. A game in which it was a tale of two halves for the Buckeyes, they were still able to overcome some adversity and take the win. The Tigers sped the Buckeyes up early leading to some sloppy play, along with early foul issues for EJ Liddell and poor shooting they had found themselves trailing for most of the 1st half before taking the lead late. Ultimately, the Buckeyes came out with a better game plan in the 2nd half pulling out to a 15+ point lead at one point, but the Tigers fought hard and stayed within ten until the final horn. Kyle Young led Ohio State with 18 points putting together one of his most solid performances of the year, another key contributor was Justin Ahrens who added 16 points on 5 three pointers. Again the Buckeyes showed their ability to spread the scoring load and get things done without EJ Liddell having a dominate night.
The 8-1 Wisconsin Badgers also come into this game following a win Wednesday night. Although, the storyline is quite different for them as they fought back from a 22-point deficit to defeat Indiana. The Badgers managed six consecutive defensive stops and an 11-0 run to finish the game and cap off the comeback win. Sophomore guard Johnny Davis does it all for the Badgers leading the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game. With a mark of nearly 21 points per game he is a prolific scorer, made even more dangerous with the help of fellow guard Brad Davidson also averaging double figures in points. Wisconsin prides itself on being strong defensively, taking high quality shots and controlling pace. Look for the Badgers to try and slow the game down, especially on the road, forcing Ohio State to maximize every possession.
The keys to victory for the Buckeyes will include: balanced offense, minimal turnovers, and reducing the impact of Johnny Davis.
Score prediction: 72-68, Ohio State
Tune in at 12:00 pm ET on BTN for a ranked, Big Ten matchup.
Featured image: Jay LaPrete, AP Photo
Gabe Woodcox is a content contributor for The Silver Bulletin. He is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a graduate of The Ohio State University with a major of Sport Industry. Gabe has been working closely with Ohio State athletics during his sport industry tenure, writing for BuckeyesNews and working most recently with 97.1 The Fan. He is an avid Buckeye basketball and sports betting fanatic and will continue his education in a Turf Management Masters program next fall.