Tonje scores 17 points to help No. 24 Wisconsin hold off Ohio State 70-68
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)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Kayla Wolf]
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — John Tonje scored 17 points and No. 24 Wisconsin staved off a late rally by Ohio State, extending its winning streak to six with a 70-68 victory Tuesday night.
Ohio State trailed 37-20 at the half but cut it to 65-64 on Micah Parrish’s layup with 16 seconds left before Tonje helped the Badgers stay ahead from the foul line.
Tonje’s 3-pointer put Wisconsin up 65-57 with just over four minutes remaining.
John Blackwell added 15 points and Steven Crowl 14 for Wisconsin (14-3, 4-2 Big Ten) to give coach Greg Gard his 200th career victory.
Bruce Thornton had 21 points and Devin Royal 12 for Ohio State (10-7, 2-4).
The Badgers hit just one of their first seven shots after the break as Ohio State pulled within 39-30 on consecutive 3-pointers by Thornton and John Mobley Jr.
Royal’s 3-pointer capped a 9-0 run that brought the Buckeyes within 48-44 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Ohio State: The Buckeyes have lost three of their last four by a combined 11 points.
Wisconsin: Guard Max Klesmit returned to the starting lineup after missing Friday’s 80-59 victory over Minnesota with an ankle injury.
Kamari McGee’s offensive rebound on Blackwell’s missed free throw, followed by his two free throws with 11 seconds left, prevented Ohio State from a chance at a go-ahead possession.
Wisconsin, which entered as the nation’s top free-throw shooting team at 85.1%, hit 25 of 28 from the line, including Tonje’s 10 for 10.
Ohio State returns home to face Indiana on Friday. Wisconsin opens a two-game West Coast swing at USC on Saturday, then at UCLA on Tuesday.
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