CHICAGO (AP) - Ohio State is the champion of the Big Ten tournament - again.
Deshaun Thomas scored 17 points and the 10th-ranked Buckeyes used their stout defense to beat No. 22 Wisconsin 50-43 for their conference-best fifth tournament title on Sunday.
Thomas was 6 for 19 from the field, but made some big free throws down the stretch as Ohio State won the championship for the third time in the last four years. Aaron Craft had nine points and six rebounds, and LaQuinton Ross delivered a couple of huge plays.
The Buckeyes (26-7) were rewarded with a No. 2 seed in the West Region for the NCAA tournament and a second-round game in Dayton, Ohio, against Iona. Wisconsin is in the same region, with the fifth-seeded Badgers to play Ole Miss in their first game in Kansas City, Mo.
Traevon Jackson scored 10 points for the Badgers (23-11), who shot 38.3 percent from the field. None of his teammates reached double figures, with Sam Dekker next up at eight points.
"It's a disappointment," senior Ryan Evans said. "We definitely wanted to leave here with some hardware, but moving forward, we've got the NCAA tournament. It's a bigger thing, and I'm looking forward to that."
Fact Box
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 10 OHIO ST. 50,
No. 22 WISCONSIN 43
WISCONSIN (23-11)
Bruesewitz 2-8 0-0 6, Evans 3-9 0-1 6, Berggren 1-4 0-2 2, Brust 3-6 0-0 6, Jackson 4-10 2-2 10, Dekker 3-6 2-3 8, Marshall 0-2 0-0 0, Kaminsky 2-2 0-0 5. Totals 18-47 4-8 43.
OHIO ST. (26-7)
Thomas 6-19 5-6 17, Thompson 4-6 0-0 8, Smith, Jr. 2-6 0-0 4, Williams 1-2 3-4 5, Craft 4-9 1-1 9, Ross 3-7 0-1 7, Scott 0-1 0-0 0, Ravenel 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 9-12 50.
Halftime-Wisconsin 24-23. 3-Point Goals-Wisconsin 3-18 (Bruesewitz 2-7, Kaminsky 1-1, Berggren 0-1, Marshall 0-1, Brust 0-2, Jackson 0-3, Dekker 0-3), Ohio St. 1-16 (Ross 1-2, Thompson 0-1, Scott 0-1, Craft 0-3, Smith, Jr. 0-3, Thomas 0-6). Fouled Out-None. Rebounds-Wisconsin 28 (Bruesewitz 6), Ohio St. 39 (Smith, Jr. 8). Assists-Wisconsin 11 (Kaminsky 3), Ohio St. 8 (Scott 3). Total Fouls-Wisconsin 12, Ohio St. 12. A-20,560.
NCAA Men's Tournament
NCAA Tournament Glance
By The Associated Press
All Times EDT
FIRST ROUND
At UD Arena
Dayton, Ohio
Tuesday, March 19
Liberty (15-20) vs. N.C. A&T (19-16), 6:40 p.m.
Middle Tennessee (28-5) vs. Saint Mary's (Cal) (27-6), 9:10 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20
LIU Brooklyn (20-13) vs. James Madison (20-14), 6:40 p.m.
Boise State (21-10) vs. La Salle (21-9), 9:10 p.m.
EAST REGIONAL
Second Round
Thursday, March 21
At Rupp Arena
Lexington, Ky.
Butler (26-8) vs. Bucknell (28-5), 12:40 p.m.
Marquette (23-8) vs. Davidson (26-7), 30 minutes following
At HP Pavilion
San Jose, Calif.
UNLV (25-9) vs. California (20-11), 7:27 p.m.
Syracuse (26-9) vs. Montana (25-6), 30 minutes following
Friday, March 22
At UD Arena
Dayton, Ohio
N.C. State (24-10) vs. Temple (23-9), 1:40 p.m.
Indiana (27-6) vs. LIU Brooklyn-James Madison winner, 30 minutes following
At The Frank Erwin Center
Austin, Texas
Miami (27-6) vs. Pacific (22-12), 2:10 p.m.
Illinois (22-12) vs. Colorado (21-11), 30 minutes following
Third Round
Saturday, March 23
At Rupp Arena
Lexington, Ky.
Marquette-Davidson winner vs. Butler-Bucknell winner, TBA
At HP Pavilion
San Jose, Calif.
Syracuse-Montana winner vs. UNLV-California winner, TBA
Sunday, March 24
At UD Arena
Dayton, Ohio
Indiana-LIU Brooklyn-James Madison winner vs. N.C. State-Temple winner, TBA
At The Frank Erwin Center
Austin, Texas
Miami-Pacific winner vs. Illinois-Colorado winner, TBA
At The Verizon Center
Washington
Regional Semifinals
Thursday, March 28
Indiana-LIU Brooklyn-James Madison-N.C. State-Temple winner vs. Syracuse-Montana-UNLV-California winner, TBA
Miami-Pacific-Illinois-Colorado winner vs. Marquette-Davidson-Butler-Bucknell winner, TBA
Regional Championship
Saturday, March 30
Semifinal winners, TBA
SOUTH REGIONAL
Second Round
Thursday, March 21
At The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Michigan (26-7) vs. South Dakota State (25-9), 7:15 p.m.
VCU (26-8) vs. Akron (26-6), 30 minutes following
Friday, March 22
At Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia
Georgetown (25-6) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (24-10), 6:50 p.m.
San Diego State (22-10) vs. Oklahoma (20-11), 30 minutes following
At The Sprint Center
Kansas City, Mo.
North Carolina (24-10) vs. Villanova (20-13), 7:20 p.m.
Kansas (29-5) vs. Western Kentucky (20-15), 30 minutes following
At The Frank Erwin Center
Austin, Texas
Florida (26-7) vs. Northwestern State (23-8), 7:27 p.m.
UCLA (25-9) vs. Minnesota (20-12), 30 minutes following
Third Round
Saturday, March 23
At The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Michigan-South Dakota State winner vs. VCU-Akron winner, TBA
Sunday, March 24
At Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia
Georgetown-Florida Gulf Coast winner vs. San Diego State-Oklahoma winner, TBA
At The Sprint Center
Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas-Western Kentucky winner vs. North Carolina-Villanova winner, TBA
At The Frank Erwin Center
Austin, Texas
Florida-Northwestern State winner vs. UCLA-Minnesota winner, TBA
At Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, Texas
Regional Semifinals
Friday, March 29
Kansas-Western Kentucky-North Carolina-Villanova winner vs. Michigan-South Dakota State-VCU-Akron winner, TBA
Georgetown-Florida Gulf Coast-San Diego State-Oklahoma winner vs. Florida-Northwestern State-UCLA-Minnesota winner, TBA
Regional Championship
Sunday, March 31
Semifinal winners, TBA
MIDWEST REGIONAL
Second Round
Thursday, March 21
At Rupp Arena
Lexington, Ky.
Louisville (29-5) vs. Liberty-N.C. A&T winner, 6:50 p.m.
Colorado State (25-8) vs. Missouri (22-10), 30 minutes following
At The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Michigan State (25-8) vs. Valparaiso (26-7), 12:15 p.m
Memphis (30-4) vs. Middle Tennessee-Saint Mary's (Cal) winner, 30 minutes following
At HP Pavilion
San Jose, Calif.
Saint Louis (27-6) vs. New Mexico State (24-10), 2:10 p.m.
Oklahoma State (24-8) vs. Oregon (26-8), 30 minutes following
Friday, March 22
At Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia
Duke (27-5) vs. Albany (N.Y.) (24-10), 12:15 p.m.
Creighton (27-7) vs. Cincinnati (22-11), 30 minutes following
Third Round
Saturday, March 23
At Rupp Arena
Lexington, Ky.
Louisville-Liberty-N.C. A&T winner vs. Colorado State-Missouri winner, TBA
At The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Michigan State-Valparaiso winner vs. Memphis-Middle Tennessee-Saint Mary's (Cal) winner, TBA
At HP Pavilion
San Jose, Calif.
Saint Louis-New Mexico State winner vs. Oklahoma State-Oregon winner, TBA
Sunday, March 24
At Wells Fargo Center
Philadelphia
Duke-Albany (N.Y.) winner vs. Creighton-Cincinnati winner, TBA
At Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis
Regional Semifinals
Friday, March 29
Louisville-Liberty-N.C. A&T-Colorado State-Missouri winner vs. Saint Louis-New Mexico State-Oklahoma State-Oregon winner, TBA
Duke-Albany (N.Y.)-Creighton-Cincinnati winner vs. Michigan State-Valparaiso-Memphis-Middle Tennessee-Saint Mary's (Cal) winner, TBA
Regional Championship
Sunday, March 31
Semifinal winners, TBA
WEST REGIONAL
Second Round
Thursday, March 21
At EnergySolutions Arena
Salt Lake City
Pittsburgh (24-8) vs. Wichita State (26-8), 1:40 p.m.
Gonzaga (31-2) vs. Southern (23-9), 30 minutes following
Arizona (25-7) vs. Belmont (26-6), 7:20 p.m.
New Mexico (29-5) vs. Harvard (19-9), 30 minutes following
Friday, March 22
At UD Arena
Dayton, Ohio
Ohio State (26-7) vs. Iona (20-13), 7:15 p.m.
Notre Dame (25-9) vs. Iowa State (22-11), 30 minutes following
At The Sprint Center
Kansas City, Mo.
Wisconsin (23-11) vs. Mississippi (26-8), 12:40 p.m.
Kansas State (27-7) vs. Boise State-La Salle winner, 30 minutes following
Third Round
Saturday, March 23
At EnergySolutions Arena
Salt Lake City
Gonzaga-Southern winner vs. Pittsburgh-Wichita State winner, TBA
New Mexico-Harvard winner vs. Arizona-Belmont winner, TBA
Sunday, March 24
At UD Arena
Dayton, Ohio
Ohio State-Iona winner vs. Notre Dame-Iowa State winner, TBA
At The Sprint Center
Kansas City, Mo.
Kansas State-Boise State-La Salle winner vs. Wisconsin-Mississippi winner, TBA
At The Staples Center
Los Angeles
Regional Semifinals
Thursday, March 28
Gonzaga-Southern-Pittsburgh-Wichita State winner vs. Kansas State-Boise State-La Salle-Wisconsin-Mississippi winner, TBA
New Mexico-Harvard-Arizona-Belmont winner vs. Ohio State-Iona-Notre Dame-Iowa State winner, TBA
Regional Championship
Saturday, March 30
Semifinal winners, TBA
FINAL FOUR
At The Georgia Dome
Atlanta
National Semifinals
Saturday, April 6
Midwest champion vs. West champion, 6 or 8:30 p.m.
South champion vs. East champion, 6 or 8:30 p.m.
National Championship
Monday, April 8
Semifinal winners, 9 p.m.
Wisconsin and Ohio State were close for most of the second half, but the Buckeyes seized on a cold spell by the Badgers to move in front down the stretch.
After Dekker scored on a reverse layup with 7:01 remaining, Wisconsin went scoreless for the next 4 minutes while Ross stepped up for Ohio State. He had a strong offensive rebound and putback, then converted a layup to make it 47-41 with 2:39 to go.
Jackson made two free throws to stop the scoring drought for the Badgers, who forced a shot clock violation on the other end. But Ben Brust missed a long 3-pointer and Thomas went 3 for 4 at the line in the final minute.
Dekker's basket was Wisconsin's last field goal of the game.
Thomas had seven rebounds as the Buckeyes enjoyed a 39-28 advantage on the glass.
"We got beat physically inside a little bit, so I think that told a lot on the offensive glass," Badgers coach Bo Ryan said.
Wisconsin advanced to the final with a pair of impressive victories over No. 6 Michigan and third-ranked Indiana, while the Buckeyes beat Nebraska handily and edged No. 8 Michigan State to reach the title game for the fifth consecutive season.
Sam Thompson added eight points for the Buckeyes, who had 13 second-chance points, compared to four for Wisconsin.
While the lithe Thompson is a potent scorer, the Badgers took advantage of his lack of size at times when they had the ball. The 6-foot-7, 190-pound Thompson started at forward for the Buckeyes, and Wisconsin's senior starting front court of Jared Berggren, Evans and Mike Bruesewitz all had at least 18 pounds on the sophomore.
The Badgers used the advantage to get high-percentage shots inside or force a double team that left one of their 3-point shooters open. It was particularly noticeable during a 14-0 first-half run that included 3s from Bruesewitz and Frank Kaminsky and a slick reverse layup by Evans.
But Thad Matta also did a nice bit of coaching for the Buckeyes. After Thomas got off to a slow start, Matta pulled the junior aside for a quick chat during a timeout late in the first half and the forward responded with a nice jumper that trimmed Wisconsin's lead to 24-23 at halftime.
