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Ohio State men tie program record with 16th-straight road loss, fall 62-54 at Wisconsin
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Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes got it close late in the second half, but could never completely close the gap.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (14-11, 4-10) fell to the Wisconsin Badgers (17-8, 9-5) 62-54 on Tuesday night and have now lost 9 of their last 11 games.
With the loss, the Buckeyes tied their longest road losing streak in school history at 16 games. Their last road win came at Northwestern on Jan. 1, 2023.
The Badgers entered the contest on a four-game losing streak, falling to Michigan and Rutgers last week, both games coming on the road. They also lost at Nebraska and at home against Purdue.
AJ Storr led the Badgers into this game, averaging 16.4 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. The St. Johns transfer has been one of the best additions to a team in the country this season, providing a spark on offense and athleticism to Greg Gard’s team.
Tyler Wahl is averaging 11.5 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game, and Steven Crowl is averaging 10.7 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. Max Klesmit also averages 9.7 points per game.
Ohio State is coming off a big win over Maryland last Saturday, with a breakout game from point guard Bruce Thornton.
Thornton entered the contest averaging 15.8 points per game, 4.2 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game. Roddy Gayle averages 14.3 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game, and Jamison Battle averages 14.2 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Steven Crowl knocked down a three-pointer, and AJ Storr made a free throw to give the Badgers an early 4-0 lead, but Evan Mahaffey kept the Buckeyes on the scoreboard with a dunk to make the score 4-2.
The Badgers were getting what they wanted early in the paint, with Crowl and Tyler Wahl getting early buckets. The Buckeyes were able to make adjustments and keep the score close at 11-8 through the under-12 media timeout.
Roddy Gayle knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 11, but a quick 7-2 Badgers run gave them an 18-13 lead.
Another three from Gayle cut into the Badgers lead, giving them an 18-16 lead heading into the under-8 media timeout.
Out of the timeout, Roddy Gayle got free for a dunk and tied the game at 18-18. Some more offensive struggles for both teams continued as the defense ramped up, but the Badgers recorded a quick five points off a Max Klesmit three-pointer and an AJ Storr steal from a Chucky Hepburn steal to take a 25-19 lead, forcing an Ohio State timeout.
The Buckeyes went cold to end the first half, not scoring in the last three minutes, missing great looks from deep, and shooting 2-for-9 from three-point range, with both makes from deep coming from Roddy Gayle. Wisconsin ended the first half on a 14-2 run and led 34-21 at the break.
Steven Crowl and AJ Storr led the way for the Badgers, with 12 points and six rebounds from Crowl and 10 points and six rebounds from Storr. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle both recorded eight points to lead the Buckeyes. Mahaffey was 4-for-4 from the field.
Thornton and Battle were combined 1-for-10 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range in the first half.
To start the second half, Wisconsin picked up where the team left off with a bucket from Crowl, pushing the lead to 15 points. Bruce Thornton broke his cold streak, knocking down a three-pointer to make the score 36-24.
Crowl continued to be a problem for the Buckeye's defense, getting another bucket on Felix Okpara.
Ohio State finally started to make some shots but struggled to get any stops on defense, trailing 50-40 at the under-12 media timeout. The Buckeyes scored on seven straight possessions and only cut the Wisconsin lead from 13 points to 10 points.
Bowen Hardman knocked down his second three-pointer of the game, cutting the Wisconsin lead to seven at 50-43.
As quick as the Buckeyes got hot on offense, they got cold again just as fast, missing a couple of more three-point attempts and pull-ups and trailed 55-47 with five minutes remaining. A Tyler Wahl layup pushed the Badgers lead to double digits.
For Wisconsin, Steven Crowl led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds. AJ Storr and Tyler Wahl added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
For Ohio State, Bruce Thornton finished with 18 points. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle added 10 points each, respectively.
Here are three takeaways from the contest:
The Buckeyes shot 2-for-9 from three-point range, and four missed threes on four straight possessions were the reason the Badgers were able to go on their 14-2 run.
These are all good looks and shots that the Buckeyes were hitting two months ago, but they have not been falling since the calendar turned to 2024. The Buckeyes have turned to Bowen Hardman, who was not in the rotation in non-conference play, to provide a spark shooting, and he has done a good job of knocking down shots when it is asked of him.
Ohio State is struggling with a personnel issue right now that is affecting the efficiency of its offense. The Buckeyes start Felix Okpara and Evan Mahaffey, two players who are not a threat to shoot the ball. As much as coaches Jake Diebler and Chris Holtmann like to run the pick-and-roll and two-man game, when there is constantly another guy in the paint who isn’t rolling, it is difficult to get a good look and space the floor out.
They can try to play small ball with Mahaffey at the five, but Jamison Battle and Devin Royal are not good enough defenders to play without a rim protector in the game.
Ohio State let Wisconsin close the first half on a 14-2 run in the last four minutes to jump out to a 13-point lead after playing a close game for 15 minutes in the first half.
This season, Ohio State has the worst point differential in the final five minutes of the first and second half in the Big Ten.
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justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Kayla Wolf-USA TODAY Sports
The Buckeyes got it close late in the second half, but could never completely close the gap.
The Ohio State men’s basketball team (14-11, 4-10) fell to the Wisconsin Badgers (17-8, 9-5) 62-54 on Tuesday night and have now lost 9 of their last 11 games.
With the loss, the Buckeyes tied their longest road losing streak in school history at 16 games. Their last road win came at Northwestern on Jan. 1, 2023.
The Badgers entered the contest on a four-game losing streak, falling to Michigan and Rutgers last week, both games coming on the road. They also lost at Nebraska and at home against Purdue.
AJ Storr led the Badgers into this game, averaging 16.4 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game. The St. Johns transfer has been one of the best additions to a team in the country this season, providing a spark on offense and athleticism to Greg Gard’s team.
Tyler Wahl is averaging 11.5 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game, and Steven Crowl is averaging 10.7 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. Max Klesmit also averages 9.7 points per game.
Ohio State is coming off a big win over Maryland last Saturday, with a breakout game from point guard Bruce Thornton.
Thornton entered the contest averaging 15.8 points per game, 4.2 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game. Roddy Gayle averages 14.3 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game, and Jamison Battle averages 14.2 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Steven Crowl knocked down a three-pointer, and AJ Storr made a free throw to give the Badgers an early 4-0 lead, but Evan Mahaffey kept the Buckeyes on the scoreboard with a dunk to make the score 4-2.
The Badgers were getting what they wanted early in the paint, with Crowl and Tyler Wahl getting early buckets. The Buckeyes were able to make adjustments and keep the score close at 11-8 through the under-12 media timeout.
Roddy Gayle knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 11, but a quick 7-2 Badgers run gave them an 18-13 lead.
Another three from Gayle cut into the Badgers lead, giving them an 18-16 lead heading into the under-8 media timeout.
Out of the timeout, Roddy Gayle got free for a dunk and tied the game at 18-18. Some more offensive struggles for both teams continued as the defense ramped up, but the Badgers recorded a quick five points off a Max Klesmit three-pointer and an AJ Storr steal from a Chucky Hepburn steal to take a 25-19 lead, forcing an Ohio State timeout.
The Buckeyes went cold to end the first half, not scoring in the last three minutes, missing great looks from deep, and shooting 2-for-9 from three-point range, with both makes from deep coming from Roddy Gayle. Wisconsin ended the first half on a 14-2 run and led 34-21 at the break.
Steven Crowl and AJ Storr led the way for the Badgers, with 12 points and six rebounds from Crowl and 10 points and six rebounds from Storr. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle both recorded eight points to lead the Buckeyes. Mahaffey was 4-for-4 from the field.
Thornton and Battle were combined 1-for-10 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range in the first half.
To start the second half, Wisconsin picked up where the team left off with a bucket from Crowl, pushing the lead to 15 points. Bruce Thornton broke his cold streak, knocking down a three-pointer to make the score 36-24.
Crowl continued to be a problem for the Buckeye's defense, getting another bucket on Felix Okpara.
Ohio State finally started to make some shots but struggled to get any stops on defense, trailing 50-40 at the under-12 media timeout. The Buckeyes scored on seven straight possessions and only cut the Wisconsin lead from 13 points to 10 points.
Bowen Hardman knocked down his second three-pointer of the game, cutting the Wisconsin lead to seven at 50-43.
As quick as the Buckeyes got hot on offense, they got cold again just as fast, missing a couple of more three-point attempts and pull-ups and trailed 55-47 with five minutes remaining. A Tyler Wahl layup pushed the Badgers lead to double digits.
For Wisconsin, Steven Crowl led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds. AJ Storr and Tyler Wahl added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
For Ohio State, Bruce Thornton finished with 18 points. Evan Mahaffey and Roddy Gayle added 10 points each, respectively.
Here are three takeaways from the contest:
Shooting woes continue
The Buckeyes shot 2-for-9 from three-point range, and four missed threes on four straight possessions were the reason the Badgers were able to go on their 14-2 run.
These are all good looks and shots that the Buckeyes were hitting two months ago, but they have not been falling since the calendar turned to 2024. The Buckeyes have turned to Bowen Hardman, who was not in the rotation in non-conference play, to provide a spark shooting, and he has done a good job of knocking down shots when it is asked of him.
Spacing problems for the Buckeyes
Ohio State is struggling with a personnel issue right now that is affecting the efficiency of its offense. The Buckeyes start Felix Okpara and Evan Mahaffey, two players who are not a threat to shoot the ball. As much as coaches Jake Diebler and Chris Holtmann like to run the pick-and-roll and two-man game, when there is constantly another guy in the paint who isn’t rolling, it is difficult to get a good look and space the floor out.
They can try to play small ball with Mahaffey at the five, but Jamison Battle and Devin Royal are not good enough defenders to play without a rim protector in the game.
Issues closing the half
Ohio State let Wisconsin close the first half on a 14-2 run in the last four minutes to jump out to a 13-point lead after playing a close game for 15 minutes in the first half.
This season, Ohio State has the worst point differential in the final five minutes of the first and second half in the Big Ten.
Continue reading...