CHICAGO, Ill. – Ohio State limited Wisconsin to just 34 percent shooting and would hold on down the stretch with a 65-57 victory in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament Wednesday night in Chicago.
The Buckeyes advance to take on 5th-seeded Iowa on Thursday afternoon. Tip off will be approximately 2:30 PM ET.
Graduate Sean McNeil was 6-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from long range, to finish with a team-high 17 points. Justice Sueing added 16 points and freshman Bruce Thornton finished with 15 points and two steals.
The Buckeyes came out of the gate hot, racing to a 10-point lead just nine minutes into the game. After a 7-0 run, keyed by McNeil three-pointer and a Thornton steal and lay in, the lead was up to 15, and the Buckeyes would double-up the Badgers, 36 to 18 at halftime. Ohio State shot 68 percent in the opening half while Wisconsin was just 30 percent.
At the start of the second-half, the Buckeyes looked to be running away with it as an 11-2 run pushed the lead all the way out to 47-20. Wisconsin then frantically started their comeback and would crawl all the way back to within four at 61-57 with just under a minute to play. Sueing and Felix Okpara would each add a free throw and then after another Wisconsin miss, Roddy Gayle Jr. iced the game with a pair of free throws to send the Buckeyes on to Thursday.
Freshman Brice Sensabaugh also played well, despite finishing with just nine points. He had a block and also pulled-down a game-high and season-high 11 rebounds.
COURTESY www.almanac.com
