Earlier we gave you the skinny from our friends over at Buckeye House Call, but now it’s time for us to break down a very important game for Wisconsin as they roll into Columbus looking to right the ship on the heels of a loss to the Hawkeyes just a few days ago.
The game at Ohio State is the final road game for the 15th ranked Badgers, so getting some momentum going as they roll into tournament time is even more important and what better way to do that then beating the 8th ranked Buckeyes, right?
Not only is momentum at stake but Wisconsin will be looking to avoid their second straight sweep by an opponent after Ohio State came into Madison and took down the Badgers, 58-52, for their first win over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center since 2000 earlier this month.
Just as Ohio State ended a streak, Wisconsin will be looking to end their own losing streak at Value City Arena, albeit a smaller one of just two games. Overall Bo Ryan is 4-4 at Ohio State and the memory of last years domination at the hands of the Buckeyes in Columbus will be in the back of Jordan Taylor and company’s minds.
After seeing what happened in the first game earlier this moth and what’s happened to Wisconsin since then a lot of fans have questioned whether or not the Badgers have what it takes to beat any high caliber team and I don’t blame them. After all, the inconsistency from this team is just plain maddening.
But Wisconsin isn’t the only team struggling at times this season. Ohio State isn’t exactly the same team we saw on February 4th at the Kohl Center. That team came into Madison on a roll and left with it’s 5th straight win in a row. Since then the Buckeyes haven’t stayed on that roll, losing to both Michigan teams (58-48 to MSU & 56-51 to Michigan) and are just 3-2 overall since their win in Madison. However, they are coming off an 83-67 stomping of Illinois this past Tuesday.
The performance of the Buckeyes since the win at Wisconsin gives us a huge insight into how the Badgers can win this game. In the 3 wins since the game at Wisconsin the Buckeyes have averaged 82.7 points but in the two losses OSU only mustered 48 and 51 points a piece.
Stats like that have to be music to the ears of Badger fans because Wisconsin’s defense has proven more than capable of holding opponents to low point totals.
But, if Wisconsin wants to win this game they have to come out shooting hot from the start of the game and need to avoid the long droughts that have plagued them as of late and really cost them in the losses to Michigan State and Iowa.
It also wouldn’t hurt to see Jordan Taylor channel a bit of the guy we saw at the Kohl Center in 2011 against the Buckeyes, that guy was unreal (27 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds).
We all know that holding Jared Sullinger down is far easier said than done and Wisconsin couldn’t do it in the first matchup, but if he’s going to score like that then the Badgers need to take it at him on the offensive end and attempt to get him in foul trouble. He’s far easier to beat sitting on the bench than in the game after all.
Thankfully the guys around Sullinger aren’t firing on all cylinders as of late and that’s been a major contributing factor to the losses that the Buckeyes have suffered and if that continues against Wisconsin it very well could be major trouble for the Buckeyes once again.
In the end this one very well could come down to one simple thing: which team has someone else other than their main scorer go off.
Because of the inconsistent play of both teams this very well could be another close game between these two rivals, but objectively I just see Ohio State having the better horses in the game and they’ll earn the sweep of Wisconsin at home.
Prediction: Ohio State: 67 Wisconsin: 58
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