2013 Big Ten Tournament Championship Game Free Picks: Wisconsin vs Ohio State Odds and Predictions

2013 Big Ten Tournament Championship Game Free Picks – Wisconsin vs Ohio State Odds and Predictions: The Big Ten has been one of the deepest conferences in the country all season, and a pair of ranked teams will decide the conference tournament title Sunday when the 22nd ranked Wisconsin Badgers meet the 10th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in the championship game. The gam:e will be the rubber match between the two teams after they split a pair of regular season meetings. Each side on its home court during the year, and fittingly, it will be played on a neutral court. For Ohio State, it is their fifth straight appearance in the Big Ten Tournament title game. Meanwhile, the Badgers will be making their first appearance since winning the tournament crown in 2008. Wisconsin is a one-point underdog in the matchup.

The Badgers have fought their way through a tough half of the bracket to reach the championship game. After earning a first-round bye, they had to face the sixth-ranked Michigan Wolverines in the quarterfinals followed by the third-ranked Indiana Hoosiers in the semis. If Wisconsin is going to end this run with a conference tournament title, the Badgers will have to get by yet another team ranked in the top 10. The Badgers will turn to a methodical, ball-control offense that creates mismatches by putting big men on the perimeter and the Big Ten’s stingiest defense in order to get the job done. While this defensive-minded style doesn’t lead to many blowouts wins, it also prevents the Badgers from being overmatched regardless of the opponent.

After struggling against top competition most of the year, Ohio State has hit their stride at the right time, winning seven straight games. The biggest key to the sudden success has been the emergence of point guard Aaron Craft as a reliable second scorer to forward Deshaun Thomas. At 19.7 points per game, Thomas is the only player on the Buckeyes averaging in double figures for the year. However, Craft recently scored 15 in a big road win against Indiana and 20 in the Buckeyes semifinal victory over rival Michigan State. At their core, the Buckeyes are an athletic defensive team with a lack of efficient offensive firepower outside of Thomas. The play of Craft and the rest of the supporting class on the offensive end tends to determine if OSU is good or great from a game-to-game basis.

The Badgers Win If:

In their first two games of the tournament, Wisconsin has imposed their will and controlled the tempo. After all, the Badgers faced a pair of high-powered offenses and held both to less than 60 points. They held the Buckeyes to less than 60 points in both of their regular season meetings, but if they are going to knock off Ohio State, the Badgers need to be able to hit some open perimeter shots. If they are shooting a solid percentage from the field, the Buckeyes won’t have many chances to use their athleticism in the open court to get easy baskets. When Wisconsin is backing up its defense with consistent offense, the Badgers are hard to handle. If they are hitting shots and forcing the Buckeyes to generate most of their offense in the half court, the Badgers are going to win.

The Buckeyes Win If:

If the Buckeyes are going to get past Wisconsin, they have to defend the perimeter on defense and find a way to manufacture easy scoring opportunities on offense. In fact, the success on the defensive end could take care of both issues. Whether they are generating turnovers or simply grabbing long rebounds and pushing the ball up the court, fast break points or quick, quality looks in transition will allow the Buckeyes to avoid having to deal with Wisconsin’s stingy half court defense. Ohio State has the overall edge in athleticism, and if the Buckeyes make sure to use it rather than allow Wisconsin to control the pace of the game, they could be tough for the Badgers to keep up with.

Bottom Line:

Both sides are better on the defensive end than on the offensive end so Sunday title game has all the makings of a low-scoring, defensive-oriented affair. While both teams are comfortable relying on their defenses, a slower pace to the game does favor the Badgers slightly. Ohio State’s dependence on Thomas for scoring makes their half court offense very limited. Meanwhile, Wisconsin has multiple players that can stretch the floor and knock down a jump shot from the perimeter. Neither team is efficient on offense, but the Badgers are better at getting open looks out of half court sets. In a game that is likely going to come down to the final few possessions, Wisconsin’s balanced offensive attack and stingy defense will outlast Thomas and company for the Big Ten title.

Prediction: Wisconsin Badgers (+2) Cover the Spread

Wisconsin vs Ohio St
Line: Ohio St -2
Total: Over/Under 118
Time: 3:30 PM EST on ESPN

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