Wisconsin basketball looks to extend upon their five-game winning streak as they take on Ohio State Tuesday night. Continue reading for a full Wisconsin vs Ohio State prediction and preview.
The Wisconsin Badgers and the Ohio State Buckeyes are trending in opposite directions. Wisconsin has won five straight dating back to their 83-74 win over Butler on December 14th. Ohio State has lost two of their past three games, and struggled in a double overtime win against Minnesota.
General Information:
Teams: Wisconsin (13-3, 3-2 Big Tem) and Ohio State (10-6, 2-3 Big Tem)
Tip Time: 8 p.m. CST
Watch: Peacock
Listen: Badger Radio Network
The latest on Ohio State basketball:
Ohio State has had a tough schedule. The Buckeyes have played six ranked opponents, and they have won two of those games, with their most notable win coming over #4 Kentucky. However, their record of 10-6 leaves them without much wiggle room in 2025 if they want to make the NCAA Tournament.
Bruce Thornton is their number one scoring threat, averaging over 17 points per game. Their starting lineup is undersized, as Sean Stewart (6’9) is their only player that clocks in taller than 6’6. While they do have 7’1 sophomore Aaron Bradshaw coming off the bench, his production has been limited. As a team, the Buckeyes have a rebounding margin of just +1.3, but that number is inflated by their uncompetitive non-conference opponents.
It is clear that the Buckeyes have a low floor and a high ceiling. Their offense averages 81.1 points per game, but they were held to just 62 points against Michigan State and only scored 64 points in regulation against Minnesota (they went on to win 89-88 in 2OT). Ohio State has shot the ball well this year, connecting on 37.8 percent of their three-point attempts. The Buckeyes will need to shoot the ball well against Wisconsin, as they will likely have a tough time producing in the paint against Steven Crowl and Nolan Winter.
The latest on Wisconsin basketball:
Wisconsin cracked the top 25 for the first time since early December, coming in at #24 in the most recent AP Rankings. The Badgers are coming off a 21-point win against Minnesota in which Steven Crowl continued his strong play with an 18-point performance. Crowl is averaging 16.6 points over his last five games after getting off to a slow start this year.
Kamari McGee started against the Golden Gophers in place of an injured Max Klesmit, who was day-to-day with an ankle injury. Klesmit’s availability for tonight’s contest remains unknown, but McGee is certainly comfortable in that starting role. He had 15 points and three steals against Minnesota.
There really is not much that Wisconsin should be trying to improve upon heading into this game. They have struggled against smaller teams this season, so Greg Gard may have to look to Xavier Amos and Carter Gilmore to relieve Winter and Crowl of some playing time. However, Crowl and Winter have both looked solid defensively over the five-game win streak, and decreasing their playing time will likely be a last resort.
Wisconsin vs Ohio State prediction: Badgers by 13
Wisconsin is a seven-point favorite entering their matchup against Ohio State. Wisconsin has covered the spread in four out of five games on their win streak. Their one loss against the spread was when they were -29 against Detroit Mercy and won by 23. Ohio State has been inconsistent, with close contests against Minnesota and Oregon. Wisconsin’s been playing with confidence and momentum, and I think they keep it going.