Nolan Kromke

Men's Basketball January 12, 2025 Jake Ross

Starting Five: Badgers ready for Buckeyes

UW seeks sixth-straight win

MADISON, Wis. — After a convincing win over rival-Minnesota, 80-59, to extend its winning streak to five games, the Wisconsin men’s basketball team takes on Ohio State on Tuesday at the Kohl Center.

Tip on Tuesday is set for 8 p.m. (CT) on Peacock. Single game tickets can be purchased here.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW:

John Tonje (9) scored 11 second half points against Minnesota

1. LAST TIME OUT

Wisconsin utilized a big second-half to put away Minnesota, 80-59. Leading by just one-point at halftime, the Badgers went on multiple scoring runs in the second frame, ultimately outscoring the Golden Gophers, 50-30 to end the game. UW’s record now stands at 13-3 with a 3-2 mark in conference play.

Steven Crowl led the team with 18 points. John Tonje scored 16 points, 11 of which came in the second half, and Kamari McGee scored 15 points in his first career start with Wisconsin.

The Badgers shot 15-for-26 from the field in the second half, while going 8-for-15 from three point range. It marks UW's eighth-straight victory over Minnesota, and its 17th in the last 19 games between the two teams.

Steven Crowl (22) scored a team-high 18 points against Minnesota

2. STEVE'S BIG MONTH

Once again leading the team in points, Steven Crowl put together another great game in a string of notable performances. In the last five games, Crowl is averaging 16.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.

What stands out most in Crowl’s hot streak is his efficiency. He’s 13-for-13 from the free throw line in the last five games, and is shooting 76.2% from the field and 54.5% from 3-point range as well. In the last month, only Michigan's Vladislav Goldin has a higher field goal percentage in the Big Ten Conference

Crowl continues to excel at passing for his position as well, with three assists in his each of his last three games. After last game, Crowl has moved into the top-five for career assists by seven-footers in NCAA Division I history.

3. SIXTH MAN, NO LONGER

Kamari McGee has long been one of the most valuable players off the bench for the Badgers, previously playing in 71 games for Wisconsin without a start. McGee stepped up in a big way on Friday, scoring 15 points, collecting five rebounds and swiping three steals in his first start with Wisconsin.

McGee has routinely brought great on-ball defense to the Badgers and is able to control the pace with his handle. This year, he’s added a new dimension to his game with his 3-point shot. After attempting just 11 3-pointers last season, the senior now leads the nation with a 57.6 shooting percentage from 3-point range, amongst all players averaging at least 2.0 attempts per game.

Kam has increased his playing time from 8.2 minutes per game to 22.6, and has appeared in every game of the season thus far. His 15 points and five rebounds on Friday are the most he’s collected at UW. Over the season, McGee has seen new career-highs with UW this season in assists (4 vs. Iowa), and 3-pointers made (4 vs. Iowa) as well.

Steven Crowl (22) goes up against Ohio State's Bruce Thornton (2)

4. OBSERVING OHIO STATE

Wisconsin’s next opponent is the Ohio State Buckeyes, who come to Madison with a 10-6 record. The Buckeyes are 2-3 in conference play, with wins against Rutgers and Minnesota. Their three losses have come against Maryland, Michigan State, and most recently, Oregon, 73-71.

Jake Diebler is in his second season with Ohio State, and his first full season after taking over duties mid-way through last season. Diebler has a 18-9 record with Ohio State. The Buckeyes are averaging 81.1 points per game under Diebler, and are shooting 37.8% from 3-point range.

Junior guard, Bruce Thornton, leads the team in points (17.8) and assists per game (4.4). Sophomore forward, Devin Royal, has improved his points per game from 4.7 last season to 13.9 this season. John Mobley Jr. and Micah Parrish round out the players averaging double-figures with 12.2 and 10.2 points per game respectively.

Max Klesmit (11) scored 18 points against Ohio State in a game last season

5. SERIES HISTORY

The Wisconsin-Ohio State matchup dates back to 1905, with the Buckeyes leading the all time series, 79-95. UW leads the series in Madison, 51-34 and has won four of the last five matchups.

Tuesday’s contest will be the sole game between the two teams. Last season, however, Wisconsin saw Ohio State twice in the regular season, winning 71-60 on the road and taking the game, 62-54 at the Kohl Center as well.

The first game was a big one for Max Klesmit who went 6-for-6 from the free throw line on his way to 18 points. The second game was all Steven Crowl who secured a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Sticky Bar

Wisconsin Badgers