Ohio State wins the Big Ten Tournament, Beats Wisconsin 50-43

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

In a hotly contest Big Ten Tournament Final at the United Center in Chicago, the Ohio State Buckeyes wound up victorious on Selection Sunday, defeating the Wisconsin Badgers 50-43.

In true Wisconsin style, it was a gritty, low-scoring battle at the Madhouse on Madision, with neither team shooting better than 39 percent from the field. Down the stretch, the Badgers struggled on the offensive end, failing to score a field goal in the last seven minutes, enabling Ohio State to finish the game on an 11-2 run.

Deshaun Thomas led the way for Ohio State, finishing the game with 17 points, and adding seven rebounds to help the Buckeyes dominate the boards. Ohio State won the rebounding battle by a wide margin, tallying 10 more boards, including 10-5 advantage on the offensive end. Traevon Jackson was the only Badger in double figures, as he had 10 points for Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes and Badgers traded runs and points in the first half, with Ohio State starting the game on a 13-6 run, only to be answered by Wisconsin’s 14-0 run to give Bo Ryan’s squad a seven-point lead of their own.

The win gives Ohio State three Big Ten Tournament titles in four years, to go with three regular season crowns in the same period. The Buckeyes clinched their fifth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament, their tenth trip to the big dance since 2000, the most in a 14-year span in the school’s history.