No. 15 Wisconsin (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten) vs. Ohio State (12-3, 2-2)

Game: Wednesday, Jan. 10 in Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio

Time: 7:30 P.M. CT

Watch: BTN

Listen: 1310 WIBA AM and 101.5 FM (Matt Lepay and Brian Butch on the call); stream online on iHeartRadio

Prediction: Wisconsin 74, Ohio State 71

Follow Online: The Badgers' Den

Twitter: @Badger_Blitz

Betting line: Ohio State -1.5 (according to ESPN BET)

Like Wisconsin, Ohio State has had a remarkably strong start to the season after missing the NCAA Tournament last season.

The key to the Buckeyes’ success has been their big three, who all lead the team in minutes played and field goal attempts per game by a wide margin.

After slowly breaking out as a freshman last season, guard Bruce Thornton has become one of the best scorers in the Big Ten. His 16.9 points per game lead the team and are the eighth-highest average in the conference.

His nine-point performance against Indiana was the first time he didn’t score in double figures since November 15. The Badgers should expect Thornton to bounce back.

He’s ascended alongside fellow sophomore guard Roddy Gayle Jr., whose improvement from last season has been even more surprising.

Last season, Gayle was scoring just 3.6 points throughout the regular season, then broke out throughout the course of the Big Ten Tournament, averaging 12 points across four games.

Gayle will enter Wednesday’s matchup just two games removed from perhaps the best game of his career, when he scored a career-high 32 points against West Virginia. But in the two games since, he’s shot a combined 7-32 from the field for 20 total points.

Rounding out the big three is newcomer Jamison Battle, who transferred from Minnesota this past offseason.

The fifth-year senior has become one of the best shooters in the Big Ten, leading the conference in three-pointers made (3.1) and attempts per game (6.9). He could prove threatening for a Badgers team that allows opponents to shoot 35.5% from 3 — second-highest in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin will have to count on their best perimeter defenders — namely Max Klesmit, Kamari McGee and John Blackwell.

The Badger defense has been impressive so far this season, but their offense has been the source of their recent success. They’ve scored 80 points in three straight games, something they haven’t done since the 2017-18 season.

Their 88 points against Nebraska were the most they’ve scored since the 105-76 win over Arkansas State in the season opener. Wisconsin’s stars performed, but the real source of the offensive explosion was their bench, as Blackwell and Connor Essegian both finished with 12 points on a combined 9-17 shooting.

Essegian entered about halfway through the first half and proceeded to play his best game of the season — making four of his seven 3-point attempts

“When Connor comes off the bench and gives an extra spark like that, we all get excited. We all want to see him succeed,” said coach Greg Gard after the game. “When he takes shots like that, it gives us momentum, gives the crowd momentum because the crowd loves it when he gets into it. When he’s in the game, we know he’s going to knock it down. We believe in him.”

Wisconsin’s leading scorer against the Cornhuskers was Tyler Wahl, who finished with an impressive-but-modest 17 points on 6-10 shooting. Wahl is playing his best basketball of the year — averaging 15.7 points over his last four games — and hasn’t looked this good since before his injury last season.

Wisconsin’s other starting big man, Steven Crowl, has cooled off since his December hot streak, but the pair should still take advantage of a thinner Ohio State frontcourt.

Crowl’s nine points against Nebraska were his lowest since late November, yet he still shot an efficient 4-5 from the field and always provides a palpable presence, given his size.

With a win, Wisconsin can continue their unbeaten Big Ten streak, while Ohio State will look for their first significant conference victory.

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