Ohio State trailed by 17 at halftime, rallied and came up just short in a 70-68 loss at No. 24 Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

Wisconsin held Nebraska to its lowest point total (55) since a Dec. 7 loss to Michigan State (52). That performance raised the Badgers’ KenPom defensive efficiency ranking to No. 50 nationally, the highest it’s been all season. That pushed the team’s overall ranking to No. 14.

Wisconsin is set to benefit greatly from Ohio State ‘s run to the 2024 College Football Playoff championship game. First, Ohio State’s win followed Michigan ‘s 2023 title, giving the Big Ten consecutive national champions. That streak further establishes the conference as the top in the sport.

The Badgers lost almost all of a 17-point halftime lead, but hit on 25 of 28 free throw attempts and posted 70-68 win over the Buckeyes.

Wisconsin guard Max Klesmit (11) congratulates Wisconsin guard John Tonje (9) on dunking the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf) Wisconsin forward ...

Rating metrics hold their optimistic outlook for the Badgers after its win over a highly-ranked Buckeyes team. Wisconsin remains in the Big Ten’s top tier in both KenPom and ESPN BPI: KenPom: No. 21 overall (same ranking as it held after the Minnesota win) and No. 5 in the Big Ten, with the No. 12 offense and No. 50 defense in the country.

The Badgers had to battle through shooting struggles after a hot start Tuesday night, but they managed enough to hold on for their sixth straight win.

Hinzman is the only Wisconsin connection on the Ohio State roster. The Badgers, on the other hand, have several former Buckeyes on the team and the coaching staff. Luke Fickell (head coach), Kenny Guiton (quarterbacks) and Tuf Borland (assistant) all played at Ohio State, as did incoming transfer WR Jayden Ballard.

The Ohio State Buckeyes (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) and the Wisconsin Badgers (13-3, 3-2) meet Tuesday at Kohl Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET (Peacock). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's

The Badgers' near second-half collapse provided them with a blueprint for how to win tight games, and they'll look to take those lessons with them going forward.

BOX SCORE:Wisconsin 70, Ohio State 68 The story of the night, however, was the Badgers ability to get to the free throw line and cash in. They finished the night 25 for 28, their third-highest ...

After collecting its fourth Big Ten win of the 2024-25 slate, Wisconsin now sits at 14-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Here are five stats that defined UW’s clutch win over Ohio State: