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Ohio State hosts Wisconsin in battle between top two ranked teams

Feb 25, 2007 - 6:25 PM No. 2 Wisconsin (26-3) at No. 1 Ohio St (25-3) 4:00 pm EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Big Ten Conference has never seen a matchup like this.

The nation's top two teams square off Sunday when No. 1 Ohio State hosts second-ranked Wisconsin in a showdown that likely will determine the Big Ten regular-season champion.

The game marks the first time that a pair of Big Ten teams have met in a contest pitting the No. 1 team vs. the second-ranked team. Neither squad has ever been involved in a 1-2 game.

With a win, the Buckeyes (25-3, 13-1) would clinch their second consecutive regular-season conference title.

Riding a 12-game winning streak, Ohio State has not lost since dropping a 72-69 decision to the Badgers in Madison on January 9.

Buckeyes freshman sensation Greg Oden scored just 10 points in that contest but has been outstanding since, posting six double-doubles and eclipsing the 20-point mark twice.

The Badgers (26-3, 12-2) saw their hopes of a regular-season conference title take a big hit with Tuesday's 64-55 loss at Michigan State.

However, a win Sunday would give Wisconsin the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Buckeyes, and each team has only one game remaining in the regular season. The Badgers host the Spartans next Saturday while the Buckeyes visit Michigan that day.

A strong possibility exists that Sunday could be Oden's final home game. The 7-foot center was considered the nation's top incoming freshman this season, and there is widespread speculation that he will enter this summer's NBA draft.

Ohio State, which is 17-0 this season, is coming off Wednesday's 68-60 victory here over Penn State.

Jamar Butler scored 18 points while Oden chipped in 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Buckeyes, who have won 24 straight home games.