Visiting OSU hopes to avoid another crush

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Among the hundreds of games fighting for position in Aaron Craft’s mind, one stands out.

And the thing he remembers most from Ohio State’s stunning upset loss last year at Wisconsin is that runaway torrent of cardinal flowing right at him from all directions.

“It was the first time I’ve ever had a court stormed on me,” the Ohio State point guard said of the then-No. 1 Buckeyes’ 71-67 loss in Kohl Center last Feb. 12. “You look up and it’s almost like ‘deer in the headlights’ — what’s going on? You’re shaking hands and [then just trying] to find the way to the locker room.”

When the third-ranked Buckeyes (19-3, 7-2) put the top spot in the Big Ten on the line today in Madison, Wis., they don’t want to get caught in the crush again.

The Buckeyes had sliced through every opponent before having their perfect season end after 24 games last year in Madison, Wis. This year they hold a slight lead over three teams with three losses — No. 19 Wisconsin (18-5, 7-3), Michigan and Michigan State.

The Badgers, who have won their last six, feel as if a lot of teams are rooting for them.

“We’re playing for the whole conference, in a way,” said Jordan Taylor, who scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half of last year’s victory over the Buckeyes. “It’s a big game. I’d be lying to you if I said it wasn’t. But we’re going to approach it just like any other game.”

Ohio State coach Thad Matta doesn’t like to elevate one game — oh, my gosh, they’re rivals! — from others on his schedule.

He tries to be short-sighted, dealing only with the opponent at hand. And he tries to pass that attitude on to his team, to prevent it from losing track of the task at hand.

But even Matta, who is 0-6 at Wisconsin in his eight years at Ohio State, is itching to end that losing skid.

“I don’t drive to work in morning saying, ‘This is the biggest game of the year.”