The Wisconsin Badgers are on a roll, beating the Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan State Spartans last week. That earned them a spot in the AP Top 25, and they’ve got an opportunity to improve their resume even more when they face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Tuesday.
Wisconsin is slowly creeping up the Big Ten standings, but last week’s pair of wins put them on the national radar as a team that can beat anyone in March, thanks to their elite offensive performances. They’re now 18-7 on the season, including 10-4 in conference play in a tight Big Ten race.
The two wins last week all but cemented their NCAA Tournament status as Wisconsin now has three top-10 wins this season, including two on the road. As for Quad 1A opportunities, Ohio State seems to be their last for the foreseeable future, so it’ll be another important game for the Badgers. Wisconsin faces Iowa to end the week at home, and the Hawkeyes currently sit at No. 27 in the NET rankings, despite a bad loss to Maryland last week.
The Buckeyes and Badgers recently faced off, with Wisconsin winning 92-82 at the Kohl Center, thanks to some strong scoring inside the arc. The Badgers shot 52 percent from the field in that game and hit nine threes on 35 percent from deep, while also making 19 free throws. As it’s been, Nick Boyd and John Blackwell were key in that one, combining for 43 points.
Ohio State has gone 16-9 this season, including 8-6 in the Big Ten. They’ve gotten some good Quad 2 wins, but are 0-8 in Quad 1 games despite some close contests. They’re currently on the bubble and will need a good push to end the season with a notable win, so Tuesday’s game will be important.
But the Buckeyes will be without rising star John Mobley Jr., who has been Ohio State’s No. 2 scorer this year, averaging over 15 points while shooting 40 percent from three. The Badgers did a good job on Mobley Jr. in the first game, and will now see a team without him on Tuesday.
How can you watch the game?
Date: Tuesday, February 17th
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Channel: FS1
Arena: Value City Arena
Spread: Wisconsin -1.5
Over/Under: 159.5 points