When looking back at the Wisconsin Badgers’ 61-57 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes on Jan. 3 in Columbus, which detail of that victory stands out the most? You can pick any of several answers. For me, the biggest one is that Kaleb Wesson, easily Ohio State’s best player and the anchor of the team, did not score a point in the final 6:32 of regulation.
This was part of a larger Buckeye struggle bus in those six and a half minutes. Ohio State scored just five points in six minutes and 30 seconds before hitting a meaningless 3-pointer with one second left to create the final margin. Ohio State made just two field goal attempts (both threes by the same man, Duane Washington) in the last 6:32.
It was and is great that the Badgers were able to lock down Wesson so fully in Columbus. The bad news is that Wisconsin faces an angry and motivated opponent on Sunday in the Kohl Center. Can the Badgers smother Wesson in crunch time two times this season? It will be hard to do so. Wesson was challenged, and he didn’t rise to meet the moment five weeks ago. He played really well in the first 31 minutes against the Badgers on Jan. 3, so it’s not as though he was a non-factor the whole game. However, if this game is close, Wesson will be a tough defensive assignment for Wisconsin down the stretch.
It is worth noting that Ohio State is beginning to show signs of emerging from slumber. The Buckeyes lost only once before Christmas Day, then lost four games in a row and six of seven. Now, however, the Buckeyes have won three games in a row. Is this a team which has successfully fought through its worst period of the season? Is this a team whose darkest moments are in the rearview mirror? Or, are the Buckeyes still a flawed and inconsistent team susceptible to another dreadful series of games before the Big Ten season ends?
Wisconsin stopping Kaleb Wesson a second time might answer those questions. It doesn’t figure to be easy.