The Ohio State basketball team will try to bounce back after a defeat at the hands of West Virginia last weekend when it hosts Wisconsin Friday night.
As good as the Buckeyes have been, it’ll be a pivotal matchup as they get back into Big Ten play at home. It’s a key game to wipe away the loss in conference it had in The Barn against Minnesota in Minneapolis last time.
Can Ohio State use the momentum of a home crowd, cut down on the mistakes and beat a Badger team that’s always tough to play, or are there further concerns that we’ll see against a team that plays a similar style to that of West Virginia?
Records
Ohio State 11-2 (1-1), Wisconsin 8-5 (1-1)
All-time series record
75-49 Ohio State leads
Last meeting
Wisconsin won 73-67 March 10, 2019
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Wednesday, December 4
Game Time: 7:00 PM
Venue: Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
Network: FS1
Next … The Ohio State Game Plan
Ohio State cliff notes game plan
Wisconsin is still trying to find itself. The team hasn’t done much of anything particularly well aside from play solid defense. But Ohio State can’t lose its focus. It has to be patient on the offensive end.
The Badgers don’t give up a whole lot of easy baskets and won’t allow too many run-outs either. Ohio State will have to get into half-court sets and run its offense — taking advantage of matchups it identifies within the flow of structure.
On defense, it should be a standard man-to-man approach with little help other than if the ball gets down on the blocks. The Badgers only have two guys averaging in double figures and don’t shoot the ball particularly well either. There will probably be a focus on limiting the looks in the lane, while playing allowing outside, contested shooting.
It won’t be pretty, but discipline is the name of the game in this one.
Next … Key Player And Prediction
Key Player For Ohio State
Kaleb Wesson. He should be able to have a field day in this one, and the Buckeyes might need him to with forward Kyle Young out recovering from an appendectomy. That means OSU loses a lot of the dirty work on the boards and down in the paint, and Wesson is the most likely guy to pick up the slack — especially on the defensive boards. Wesson must play an all-around game Friday night and stay out of foul trouble with a thinner bench.
How It’ll All Go Down
Don’t be surprised if this game is close throughout. Playing Wisconsin tends to play out that way. It’ll be a grinding, physical game and the Badgers will try to slow it down and make Ohio State work for everything. That’s okay. The Buckeyes have more skill and more talent than Wisconsin this year and will win one that is slightly more entertaining than watching a root canal.
Final Score
Ohio State 62, Wisconsin 54
Line
Coming …
