Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
The Kohl Center, Madison WI
Feb. 1st, 2014 at 12:00 PM ET (ESPN)

Well, it certainly wasn’t supposed to be like this.

If you’ve been on Twitter in the past month, you’ve seen some variation of the tweet that lumped Ohio State with Wisconsin (and some other teams) that started off the season undefeated and then collectively had lost a number of games in a row.

For Ohio State, it’s been a rough road after dismantling Nebraska on January 4th. Ohio State has lost five of its last six games, including laying a couple real stinkers against Nebraska and Penn State. Many point to the strength of the conference. This is true. The B1G, top-to-bottom, is a very talented conference. But, to quote the wise Boromir, “One does not simply lose to Nebraska AND Penn State.” Many reasons have been bandied about by fans — “this team is soft” or “lacks heart” or “doesn’t have a leader”. All of these hold water. This team’s problems are legion. And hopes that one game will “snap them out of it” have been dashed once again.

Wisconsin’s four game skid in its last five has Wisconsin fans asking the same question. “What happened?” Like Ohio State, they handily beat Northwestern only to lose to them a couple weeks later. That kind of stuff isn’t supposed to happen. This has become Bizarro B1G land, where anyone can win and Ohio State and Wisconsin find themselves in a game that could land them in a three-way tie with Northwestern for fifth place in the conference.

Fifth. Place.

It’s a legitimate concern now of whether this Buckeye team is a tournament team. Losing in the manner they have recently suggests that they are not. They need a couple of “signature” wins to bolster their currently weak resume. They can start by showing up this afternoon at the Kohl Center against the hated clean-cut Bo Ryans.

You know what you’re getting with a Ryan-coached team. Good, patient ball movement, solid shooters and a couple white bread seven-footers that no one would give a chance but end up flourishing in Bo Ryan’s style of bore-you-to-death basketball. The Badgers are led by Sam Dekker, who, according to ESPN, has no hometown. This can only mean one thing — he was born in a test-tube in Bo Ryan’s underground lair, specifically developed to play the game “the right way” and to infuriate teams with more athletic, talented players. He’ll have you tearing your hair out by the ten minute mark of the first half.

At this point, you sort of know what you’re getting with the 2013-4 version of this Ohio State team. Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott will play lock-down defense but will also play hot potato with the ball on the offensive end. LaQuinton Ross will play the majority of the game but play so unremarkable you’ll look at the box score and say, “how did he score 17?” Amir Williams will… You know what, it’s probably better I keep my opinions of what Amir Williams “does” to myself.

Lenzelle Smith and Marc Loving are the keys to this game, in my mind. If Lenzelle can find his range early, the Buckeyes will be in a position to compete. Marc Loving is the only player I see that is unafraid to take the ball to the rim that don’t make me cringe when they actually get the rack. Marc has the toolset but simply hasn’t had the time to get a handle on them against top competition. If Thad goes small against Wisconsin, Loving can get meaningful minutes this afternoon which will go a long way boosting his confidence and development.

The Kohl Center is not an easy place to play. Wisconsin, three game losing streak or not, is still a good team. I’m not sure the same could be said about these Buckeyes. But a win today will change a lot of people’s minds. And things don’t get any easier with a rematch with Iowa and the hated Wolverines on the upcoming schedule.

This team lacks a lot of things. A consistent scorer. A dominant presence around the basket. Consistent effort. Defenses can sit in a zone with no threat of an outside shot or a penetrating drive. There is no urgency in the minds of anyone on the court save Aaron Craft (and to an extent, Shannon Scott). There are more things wrong than there are right. Mentally, this team is broken and can’t look to a Sullinger or Thomas to help them weather the adversity.

It’s bad enough that this team lacks confidence. It’s exacerbated by the fact that opponents are now emboldened to play with confidence themselves. The conference’s big bad wolf has been exposed. It’s really granny in the wolf’s clothing.

For the fourth time in as many games, Ohio State found itself in a dogfight with a team that, on paper, it should be able to manhandle. It had, in fact, manhandled this team by thirty one points a few short weeks ago. That Buckeye team is not this Buckeye team.

But there they were, down nine points at the half. Once again, poor shooting, sloppy defense and the inability to put the ball in the basket had landed Ohio State in a situation they have become all too familiar with.

Ohio State came out small (subbing Sam Thompson for Amir Williams, sliding LaQuinton Ross down to the 5) in an effort to change things up. The defense came strongly out of the block at the beginning of the second half and was able to eventually take a lead.

But Ohio State couldn’t pull away. The game went back and forth but Ohio State went cold. Lenzelle couldn’t hit a three. Other than another Sam Thompson highlight ally-oop, the second half devolved into the slow moving first half that gave OSU so much trouble.

With Ohio State trailing, Aaron Craft’s drive would result in a charge and the transformation was complete. There was nothing left. Nebraska would take a six point lead and never let it get any closer than that.

So here we are, in unfamilar territory. A four game losing streak. A real possibility of falling out of the top 25 (no matter how meaningless polls are, going from top five to out of the rankings means something). Nebraska was supposed to be the slumpbuster. Nebraska didn’t get the memo.

Let’s hope Illinois does.

That one was fun, but it hurt. The Buckeyes stated slow as MSU started hot. The Spartans hit two early threes as Ohio State played sluggish and sloppy, something that didn’t please the coach none too well. Thad Matta became a man of the scarlet, as only as he can do. The fire came out and Matta whipped the Buckeyes into shape and the half continued apace, trading buckets and trading leads.

As the half came to a close, the Michigan Spartans pulled away from and led by seven. The second half started just as easily for the Spartans as they extended their lead and went up by 10 quickly.

Ohio State cut the Spartans lead to five, 37-32, but a couple bad offensive sets and YET ANOTHER THREE by Valentine put the Michigan Spartans up by 10 again. Then things got ugly.

Michigan rattled off a 13-2 run off as Adreian Payne, the bane of my existence, dominated LaQuinton Ross for two emphatic put-back jams and a three pointer. Everything was going Michigan’s way.

With a little more than seven minutes left, MSU led 55-38 and looked to be in cruise control.

After the under-eight time out, Ohio State brought the full court pressure and the defense turned up. They snuffed out the Spartan offense and made some nice plays as they pulled to within ten with four minutes left.

Then, Aaron Craft happened.

Buckeye fans, let me take this moment to remind you we only have Craft for a few more months. In no time, his ruddy cheeks, his gritty gritness, his everything will be moving on. Take the time now to savor and enjoy what he does night in and night out.

So back to the Aaron Craft happening. He found Sam Thompson on a beautiful ally-oop and then scored on a spectacular reverse lay-up that took Valentine out of the game and brought the Buckeyes to within three, 54-57. Aaron Craft is simply amazing, but it gets even better — he inbounds the ball to himself (off Payne’s butt (IN YOUR FACE, PAYNE)) and lays it in to bring his team to within one. That series of events defines what and who Aaron Craft is.

This team looked dead and bloated but Aaron Craft willed them to come back from down 17. SEVENTEEN. They outscored Michigan 20-3 and sent the game to overtime.

Overtime went back and forth but Gary Harris’ dagger three with 28 seconds put the Spartans up three and they wouldn’t relinquish that lead.

Marc Loving had a chance at the end for the tie with another three pointer, but wasn’t able to convert. Keith Appling was fouled and iced the game, 73-68.

Ball game.