Three Things: Wisconsin Basketball vs. Ohio State

Wisconsin basketball came into tonight’s matchup against Ohio State, desperately needing a win. Having lost six out of their last seven games, the Badgers played a great game in Columbus. They get the win 65-60; here are three things from the win.

Strong First Half

After what was Wisconsin basketball’s worst half of the year last time out against Illinois, scoring only sixteen points. They knew a much better start would be crucial to a victory tonight. Starting with an 8-0 run, the badgers took control in the first half, scoring 43 points and building a sixteen-point lead behind the excellent play of Chucky Hepburn, Steven Crowl, and Connor Essegian. Starting strong and gaining a lead allows Wisconsin to settle in on the defensive end and withstand those cold spells on offense. As we saw in the second half, Wisconsin went scoreless for over six minutes. Thanks to the excellent start and big lead, they were able to sneak out with the win.

Big Steve

Wisconsin basketball big man Steven Crowl has been the most impressive improvement so far this season. The big man has gotten more assertive, more skilled, and gained confidence. He arguably has been the Badger’s best player as of late, and he continued his excellent play tonight. Big Steve finished with fourteen points and nine rebounds. He has been such a pleasant surprise for Wisconsin basketball this year.

Free Throws

A common struggle for Wisconsin basketball has been from the free throw line. For a team that has spent most of their games within a couple of scores. To struggle so severely from the free throw line is a serious issue moving forward. A team that struggles offensively needs all the “free” points they can get. One of the worst in the Big Ten at just 66%, Wisconsin went 13/22 tonight. Shoutout to Chucky Hepburn, who rattled in a few clutch free throws at the end of the game.

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