Ohio State vs. Wisconsin Preview
MADISON, WI (AP) – Ohio State is off to the program’s best start in 50 years and is challenging to become the first Division I men’s team in 35 years to finish the season unbeaten.
To stay on track, the Buckeyes will need to pick up their first win at the Kohl Center in more than a decade.
Top-ranked Ohio State looks to end an eight-game losing streak in Madison on Saturday when it takes on No. 13 Wisconsin.
Current college basketball odds and oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGlobal.com have made Wisconsin -1.5 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against Ohio State. Current college basketball public betting information shows that 76% of more than 941 bets for this game have been placed on Ohio State +1.5.
The Buckeyes (24-0, 11-0 Big Ten), a unanimous choice for No. 1 in the AP poll for a second straight week, are off to the program’s best start since the 1960-61 team went 27-0 before falling to Cincinnati in the NCAA title game.
The last Division I men’s team to go unbeaten was Indiana in 1975-76.
Ohio State returns to action Saturday for the first time since an 82-69 win over then-No. 18 Minnesota on Sunday – its 12th straight conference road victory.
“We’re never scared,” said freshman Jared Sullinger, who scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds. “Even on the road, or at home, we just keep playing basketball. That’s what we do.”
Sullinger, averaging team highs of 18.0 points and 10.3 rebounds, will lead Ohio State into the Kohl Center, where it has lost eight straight games since a 53-51 victory in 2000. Wisconsin is 13-0 at home this season and 149-11 there under coach Bo Ryan, who has never lost to the Buckeyes in Madison.
“This is my last chance so hopefully we do get one there,” said fifth-year Ohio State senior David Lighty, who scored 18 points in a 60-51 home win over then-No. 13 Wisconsin last season. “When they’re feeling good and making shots, it gets loud in there.”
Led by Sullinger and getting solid contributions from Lighty, William Buford and Jon Diebler, the Buckeyes are the highest-scoring team in the Big Ten at 77.8 points per game.
Keeping that up against Wisconsin (18-5, 8-3) might be difficult. The Badgers have the conference’s top scoring defense, holding teams to 56.3 points per game.
Wisconsin has won six of seven, escaping with a 62-59 overtime win at Iowa on Wednesday. The Badgers shot 18.2 percent in the first half, although they were only down by five at the break.
Jon Leuer finished with 19 points and a career-high 15 rebounds while Jordan Taylor had 16 points and eight assists, including four points in the extra period.
While the Badgers have struggled to make shots on the road at times, at home the team is scoring 75.8 points per game. Leuer is averaging 21.6 points while Taylor is scoring 19.3 points per game at the Kohl Center.
Behind the duo, Wisconsin hopes to jump out to a quick start Saturday.
“Against a team like Ohio State, you can’t get in a hole, otherwise it’s tough to dig your way out,” said Leuer. “The main thing is just to get off to a good start. But if you don’t, you have to be able to handle that adversity and climb back from it.”
Wisconsin is 1-19 all-time against No. 1 teams, the lone win coming over Ohio State in 1962. The last time the Badgers hosted a top-ranked opponent, they lost 75-65 to Illinois in 2005.
“There’s a little extra incentive, but any time you step on the court you have the same motivations. You’re just hungry and you want to win,” Leuer said. “That’s how we’re going to play.”
Wisconsin’s football team beat then-No. 1 Ohio State 31-18 on Oct. 16. If the basketball Badgers follow suit, Wisconsin would be the second school to defeat the same top-ranked opponent in the two sports in the same academic year after Florida did it to the Buckeyes in 2006-07.
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