Badgers’ big man hits target

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A lot of coaches would go ballistic if their 6-foot-10-inch center stepped outside and shot a 3-pointer with the clock running down and their team trailing on the road.

Not Bo Ryan, however.

Jared Berggren scored Wisconsin's final five points -- including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 31 seconds left -- and the 16th-ranked Badgers defeated No. 8 Ohio State 63-60 on Sunday, assuring Michigan State of at least a share of the Big Ten title.

"Wasn't that huge?" Ryan gushed later. "Give the kid a lot of credit. He's done that before."

In Ryan's offense, the big men have to carry their share of the load at the offensive end, and that doesn't necessarily mean with their backs to the basket. The Badgers have a history of big men who aren't afraid to step outside and shoot.

"We always -- if we have an open look -- we have to be aggressive," said Berggren, who made 3 of 7 3-point attempts and scored 18 points. "They're a good defensive team, so you know open looks can be hard to come by. So when we get an opportunity like that, you have to step up with confidence."

It was a big win for the Badgers (21-8, 10-6), who were discouraged after losing at Iowa on Thursday. Wisconsin had not beaten a top-10 team on the road since topping No. 4 Ohio State 72-71 on Jan. 26, 1980. Ryan was an assistant coach for that Badgers team.

It was also another heartbreaking loss for Ohio State (23-6, 11-5), which has dropped three of its last five.

"(It was) just our inability to sustain what needed to be sustained," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "Be it offensive execution or defensive stops, we weren't able to get those things done."

With Ohio State up by a point, Berggren swished a shot from beyond the arc on the left wing. The Badgers were only 15 seconds into the shot clock, but the big man was feeling confident.

"I made a read, found some space and knocked it down," Berggren said.

Ryan didn't have a problem with the shot selection, either.

"Best available shot," Ryan said.

Berggren later was fouled and made both free throws with 14.2 seconds left for a 63-59 lead.

Jordan Taylor led the Badgers with 19 points, and Ryan Evans added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Badgers improved to 6-3 in Big Ten road games and 9-4 overall away from Kohl Center. Since Ryan took over as coach, Wisconsin has the most road wins and best road winning percentage among all Big Ten teams (62-60, .508).

Deshaun Thomas led Ohio State with 23 points, but missed a potential tying jump shot after Berggren's 3-pointer.

William Buford, playing his final home game for the Buckeyes, finished with 15 points. Jared Sullinger, averaging 17.2 points, was held to eight points and six rebounds.