The No. 15 Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 71-60 Wednesday in Columbus after Max Klesmit scored all 18 of his points in the second half.
The Badgers struggled to get a lead throughout the first half in Columbus. Wisconsin guard AJ Storr kept Wisconsin in the game with his persistent scoring and counteracted efficient 3-point shooting from Buckeyes forward Jamison Battle, who only missed one of his five 3-point shots in the half.
Storr scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half and kept Ohio State’s lead to single digits, scoring eight straight points with 5:54 left in the first half.
With Storr’s single-handed scoring, Wisconsin went on a 14-8 run that closed out the half and allowed the Badgers to take a two-point lead going into halftime.
Max Klesmit was the story of the second half. The junior guard scored all 18 of his points in the second half — half of the Badgers’ second-half points.
Klesmit scored his first points four minutes into the half and battled throughout the remainder of the game to find open looks and get to the rim. Klesmit’s quick moves granted him free-throw opportunities as he blew past the Ohio State defenders.
Behind Klesmit’s 18-point performance, the Badgers rallied to outscore the Buckeyes by nine points in the second half. Wisconsin topped off their performance with a high-flying dunk from Storr with 11 seconds left in the game.
In a postgame press conference, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard said winning on the road doesn’t come easy but added that it’s satisfying when an away team comes up on top.
“Road wins are hard to get, and you appreciate them when you get them,” Gard said. “I'm happy for this group because they did a good job of preparation, and they came to play tonight.”
Wisconsin came into Wednesday’s game after a matchup against the Nebraska Cornhuskers where the Badgers cruised to a 16-point victory behind Wisconsin forward Tyler Wahl’s 17-point performance.
The Badgers remain undefeated in Big Ten conference play and continue to be the only team in the Big Ten to do so. Wisconsin moves to a record of 12-3 overall on the season, with their next game against Northwestern on Saturday at the Kohl Center.
