Wisconsin basketball pocketed a nail-biting 70-68 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center.
Fueled by sharp free throw shooting, a flurry of hoops from John Blackwell and Steven Crowl and Ohio State’s slow start, Wisconsin established a 37-20 lead at the break. However, OSU roared back in the second half. It turned what was once a blowout into a battle of free throws in the final minute.
Wing John Tonje kept Wisconsin alive offensively down the stretch. UW still prevailed despite two critical misses from Blackwell at the charity stripe. In the process, Wisconsin extended its win streak to six and helped head coach Greg Gard secure his 200th career win with the program.
After collecting its fourth Big Ten win of the 2024-25 slate, Wisconsin now sits at 14-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Here are five stats that defined UW’s clutch win over Ohio State:
1. 25 made free throws
Without this type of effort from the charity stripe, Wisconsin doesn’t win this game. The Badgers made 13 of their 25 attempts in the first half to overcome a miserable 2-of-11 (18.2%) mark from deep.
UW then converted on 12 of 14 looks from the line in the second half. Blackwell misses two key attempts down the stretch, but the Badgers won the game in the mentioned free throw exchange. The nation’s leading team in free throw percentage continued to bolster that status. The trait will continue to prove critical as Wisconsin progresses through its Big Ten schedule.
2. 17 points from John Tonje
The two-time Big Ten Player of the Week erupted in the second half. Without his contributions from the 5:26- 4:17 minute marks in the second half, the Badgers may have been unable to hold their lead against a hungry Buckeye offense. Tonje made a pair of free throws at 5:26, another pair at 4:50, then drilled a three-pointer at 4:17. Those points were the Badgers’ last before the final minute.
Tonje also importantly went 10-of-10 from the free throw line. His aggressiveness and poise have elevated the team’s ability to execute down the stretch. He’s established as the most dependable player on the 2024-25 team.
3. 5-22 from 3-point range
Against Iowa, Wisconsin set a program record with 21 made 3-point looks. On Tuesday, the Badgers looked like one of the worst shooting teams in the Big Ten.
While the consistency might not be there, Badger fans should take comfort in the team’s capacity to overcome shooting struggles and still come out on top. The Buckeyes defense is stout, but UW reached the free throw line 28 times to essentially cancel out the poor three-point shooting.
4. 14 more points from Steven Crowl
Following his zero-rebound performance in Wisconsin’s mid-December loss to Illinois, veteran center Steven Crowl has been on an absolute tear. The Minnesota native has scored at least 14 points and snared at least four rebounds in every appearance during UW’s six-game win streak. He finished the game with 14 points, 10 of which in the first half, and seven rebounds.
Crowl also became the 15th in Big Ten history with 1,200 points, 750 rebounds, and 250 assists since 1986-87. His versatility and recent consistency unlocks another portion of the Badgers offense.
5. 20 first half points allowed
Dating back to Dec. 22, Wisconsin’s defense has looked stout. The Badgers have allowed more than 80 points just once and held four of its last five opponents to under 70 points — an indicator of the team’s defensive capabilities.
Although they erupted for 48 in the second half, the Buckeyes mustered just 20 points in the first half. They missed some open looks, shooting 32% from the field and under 15% from deep. But Wisconsin is now playing its best complementary basketball of the season.
Up next for the Badgers: a West Coast road trip for matchups against USC and UCLA.