By Rusty Miller
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Alando Tucker's eyes met Brent Darby's as the Ohio State guard zeroed in on the basket, time melting off the clock and Wisconsin holding a one-point lead.

"I saw him coming. I saw his eyes and knew he wouldn't pass," Tucker said. "I just climbed the ladder and was fortunate to block the shot."

The freshman's block preserved Wisconsin's 53-52 victory Saturday night, making Kirk Penney's basket with 7.4 seconds left the game-winner for the Badgers.

Ohio State (8-7, 1-3 Big Ten) trailed by 11 points with more than 5 minutes left but took a 52-51 lead with 37.7 seconds remaining when Darby fed Velimir Radinovic and his shot rolled around the rim before falling in.

Wisconsin (12-4, 2-2) calmly brought the ball down the court and cleared out for Penney. From the left wing, he drove through the heart of the lane and avoided heavy traffic to muscle in the shot.

"I came down in a situation where we need a basket," the senior said. "I managed to get a counter move in the lane and the shot just went in."

The Buckeyes had decided before Penney's basket that they would not call a timeout but would try to attack at the other end.

"In the huddle we talked that if they scored with under 10 seconds left we were just going to throw the ball in and go to the basket," Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien said. "Sometimes you get a better shot in that situation than if you call a timeout. It went just the way we talked about."

The Buckeyes hurried down floor with Darby driving the right side as time melted away. His off-balance shot went up with 2 seconds left, Tucker swatting it away as the final horn sounded.

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said the freshman was a big reason for the Badgers' fast start.

"Tucker's doing a great job for us. We're not trading him," Ryan said. "Where would we be without his presence inside in the post at 6-foot-5? I'll tell you, we wouldn't be 2-2."

Tucker led the Badgers, who had lost two of their last three games, with 15 points. Penney had eight points and was just 2 of 9 from the field before hitting the game-winner.

Shun Jenkins had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State, which has lost four of five. Darby had 10 points and five assists.

"It's really frustrating right now, because we have to score and we're not doing that," Jenkins said. "We should've played the first 35 minutes like we played the last five."

O'Brien said a lack of scoring punch is killing the Buckeyes.

"Defensively, we're doing a good job," said O'Brien, whose team has scored 50 and 52 points in its last two losses. "We continue to struggle on offense. We're guarding people OK. We gave up some easy, stupid baskets, but we're having bigger trouble on offense."

The game matched two of the four teams who tied for the Big Ten title a year ago.

Down by five points at the half, the Badgers went on an 11-2 run to turn a 32-29 deficit into a 40-34 lead. Andreas Helmigk started the surge with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie it. After Wisconsin's Boo Wade and Jenkins traded baskets, the Badgers ran off the next six points.

Mike Wilkinson scored off a backdoor cut, Devin Harris missed a shot inside and then appeared to get straight-armed to the floor as he flipped up another shot that went in, and then Penney sped past two defenders on a baseline drive from the right wing to make it 40-34.

Down by as many as 11, the Buckeyes came back as Darby hit a free throw and then scored on a drive through heavy traffic before feeding Jenkins inside for a three-point play - Jenkins banking in the free throw with 3:14 left to cut it to 50-47.

After the teams traded free throws, Penney's shot inside was blocked by Radinovic. Darby then meshed two foul shots at the other end to set up the wild finish.

"It's good to win on the road," Penney said. "Now we need to take care of business at home."