Wisconsin Badgers secure dominant 92-82 win over visiting Ohio State

Leading the way for Wisconsin early offensively was an unlikely hero in forward Austin Rapp, who was previously demoted to the bench. Despite a 4-for-21 streak from beyond the arc, Rapp dropped 19 points and six rebounds while hitting five three-point field goals. Rapp had not had a performance like his against the Buckeyes since scoring 18 points in the win over Central Michigan in December.

The 19-point performance from Rapp was crucial in the wake of Jack Janicki jumping into the starting lineup to cover the absence of the injured Andrew Rohde. Janicki scored two points while adding a rebound and three assists in 18 minutes of play.

Team leading guards John Blackwell and Nick Boyd combined for 43 points, five rebounds, and six assists while adding 13 points at the foul line. Boyd has been excellent for the offense recently and his speed and ability to space out the floor has been a catalyst for Wisconsin. Blackwell has now scored 20 or more points in back-to-back games for the third time this season.

Starting forward Aleksas Bieliauskas recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, and a block which included four points at the foul line. Bieliauskas notably had attempted just eight free-throws heading into the game with an average of 0.4 free-throw attempts per game.

The Buckeyes refused to go away in the second-half despite Wisconsin holding respectable leads multiple times. The Badgers need to face the Buckeyes again in just a matter of weeks and the rematch between the two sides could be even closer in Columbus.

For Wisconsin, the upcoming schedule is incredibly unforgiving and will likely make-or-break the team ahead of March. The Badgers must play Indiana (away), Illinois (away), Michigan State (home), Ohio State (away), and Iowa (home) to round out the next five games.