Reserve forward Zach Morley scored a career-high 23 points coming off the bench to lead the 23rd-ranked Wisconsin Badgers to a 60-49 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in a quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago, Friday night.

Since Ohio State self-imposed a ban on postseason play due to the actions of former head coach Jim O’Brien, this game was the last for the Buckeyes this season. With 20 wins and defeating number-one Illinois would probably would have given the Buckeyes a ticket to the NCAA Tournament, or at the very least an invitation to the NIT.

Ohio State got off to another slow start, just like they did against Penn State the night before, and the Buckeyes trailed the Badgers 28-19 at halftime.

But the Buckeyes opened the second half going on a 10-2 scoring run, and tied it later at 39 before the Badgers went on 9-2 scoring binge to go ahead 48-41.

Once again Ohio State would claw back into the game as Terence Dials scored, J.J. Sullinger scored on a tip-in, and Tony Stockman made two free throws to make it 48-47 with 4:20 to play.

But the Badgers would put the Buckeyes away scoring the next six points, and with 1:52 to play when Morley sank a jumper to put Wisconsin ahead 54-47.

The leading scorer for the Buckeyes was Dials who had 12 points, while Sullinger added 11. Matt Sylvester came off of the bench to add another 11.

Alando Tucker and Mike Wilkinson each scored 12 points for the Badgers.

Ohio State converted only 2-of-20 (.100) from beyond the arc. The two triples equal a team season low, while its .100 percentage is its second lowest of the season. The Buckeyes shot a season-low .095 (2-of-21) vs. Minnesota on January 15.

Ohio State netted a season-low 49 points. Ohio State ends its season losing four of its last six. The Buckeyes finish with a 20-12 overall record.

Junior captain Terence Dials put the lost to Wisconsin this way, “you lose a game and you are going to be upset. We won’t play another game until November. We have a long time to think about things. We will have to work hard in the off season.”

Ohio State will lose three players. Brandon Fuss-Cheatham, Tony Stockman and Matt Marinchick are all seniors. Fuss-Cheatham and Stockman are guards were were in the starting line-up at the beginning of the season, and were replaced by freshman Jamar Butler and junior-college transfer Je’Kel Foster.

Fuss-Cheatham had a hard time handling pressure defenses, while Stockman’s on-the-court decisions, shot selection and discipline where less than desirable. Marinchick played sparingly, and would be a member of the “All-Airport” team. At 6′10″, he looked good walking through the airport with the team, but not much else.

That would mean that all five returning starters will return for next season, along with Matt Sylvester, plus any of the freshman recruits who will attend OSU in the fall. Coach Thad Matta seems very deserving of his eight-year extension he signed last week.

Tags: Buckeye Basketball //