A Big Ten battle is on tap this evening in Columbus. #24 Wisconsin (18-7, 10-4) has been on a tear, winning four of its last five games. The Badgers will look to keep the good times rolling this evening against Ohio State (16-9, 8-6). Every win matters for the Buckeyes, currently projected as a team on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Taking down a ranked opponent would serve as a solid resume booster.
Wisconsin enters Tuesday as 1.5-point favorites (-112) over Ohio State. The total is set at 156.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here’s a college basketball pick, preview and prediction for tonight’s game between the Badgers and the Buckeyes.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State prediction, preview
If nothing else, there should be plenty of scoring from both sides this evening. For the visiting Badgers, their adjusted offensive efficiency sits at 123.3 on KenPom. That’s good enough for 18th-best among all Division I schools. Unlike some other squads, Wisconsin relies heavily on its star power. In the backcourt, Nick Boyd (20.6 PPG) and John Blackwell (19.0 PPG) form a lethal guard duo. Down low, Nolan Winter is averaging 13.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. However, no other players on this roster are producing double-digit points per game.
Granted, a lack of depth hasn’t been much of an issue over the past few weeks. Wisconsin has tallied exactly 92 points in each of its previous three wins. That includes a 92-82 victory on January 31st vs. Ohio State. Defensively, this group remains a work in progress. The Badgers rank inside the back half of the Big Ten with 5.7 steals and 3.2 blocks per game. To boot, they’ve allowed at least 75 points in eight of their 14 matchups against conference rivals. Middling play on the wings has been a notable weakness in Madison.
In many ways, these two teams are quite similar. The Buckeyes also love playing an exciting, offensively-minded brand of basketball. Per KenPom, OSU is 25th in adjusted offensive efficiency (122.2). However, unlike their opponents tonight, the Buckeyes are below-average when it comes to pace of play. They prefer to pick and choose their spots rather than pushing the tempo like Wisconsin. It helps to have an experienced guard such as Bruce Thornton running the show. This season, the senior has posted 19.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. In addition, he’s averaging 36.1 minutes a night, second-most in the Big Ten.
To be fair, Thornton isn’t the only name Wisconsin needs to worry about on Tuesday. Fellow guard John Mobley has been terrific as well, accounting for 15.1 points per game. Down low, Devin Royal (13.6 PPG, 5.6 REB) and Christoper Tilly (11.8 PPG, 4.7 REB) have been effective. Unfortunately, Mobley is out indefinitely due to a hand injury suffered on February 11th. Points in the paint could be hard to come by in this one against a tall Badgers frontcourt.
Wisconsin vs. Ohio State pick, best bet
The Buckeyes are better than their record, in part a victim of playing in the loaded Big Ten. However, Ohio State has gone 0-8 against Quad 1 opponents this season. That includes January’s defeat vs. Wisconsin. The loss of Mobley only makes things more difficult, even while playing at home. In comparison, the Badgers have taken down elite teams on the road this season, including #10 Illinois and #1 Michigan. Another impressive victory shouldn’t come as a shock on Tuesday.
