Big 10 Tournament: Why Jared Sullinger Won't Lead Ohio State to a Title

The Ohio State Buckeyes are playing for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, but will they conquer the Big 10 Tournament first?

The Buckeyes didn't play their best against ninth-seeded Northwestern, but managed a to pull out narrow victory in overtime against the Wildcats.

Both Jared Sullinger and William Buford shot poorly from the field, and will need to hone their shooting strokes against potential tournament opponents Wisconsin or Purdue.

Purdue and Wisconsin have both won home games over Ohio State this season, and here are a few reasons why both teams will take down the Buckeyes again in Indianapolis weekend.

Wisconsin's Advantages

Jon Leuer: He shoots a lower percentage from the field than Sullinger, and also collects less rebounds, but Leuer has the ability to expand the floor. He shoots almost 40 percent from three-point land, and Leuer will have Sullinger playing on the perimeter all game.

Outside Shooting: When both teams met in Madison, Wisconsin, the Badgers shot 50 percent from deep, going 12-24. Every starter for Wisconsin has the ability to shoot from beyond the arc, presenting a dangerous defensive challenge to the Buckeyes.

Free Throw Shooting: It may seem simple, but free throw shooting is vitally important late in games. Wisconsin shoots about 83 percent from the free throw line as team. The majority of the roster has excellent shooting ability.

Purdue's Advantages

Perhaps the best duo in college basketball: JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore provide an unbelievable threat for Purdue. Moore shoots 41 percent from three-point land, and we saw him score 38 points the last time he played against Ohio State.

Moore is probably the best scorer in the conference, and has the ability to explode at any time.

As for Johnson, he's the complete package as a big man. He scores about 2.4 more points per game than Sullinger, and will be able to guard him in the post, averaging over two blocks per contest as well.

Spreading the Floor: Purdue is 20th in the NCAA with 16 assists per game. Because they have so many ways to beat opponents on offense, it's never hard to control the pace of the game.

Even without Robbie Hummel, Purdue has been able to spread the floor, and consistently get the ball to their star players.

Ohio State barely beat a feisty Northwestern team in overtime, and Jared Sullinger struggled shooting throughout the game. If Sullinger can't score in the post, Ohio State definitely won't get by JaJuan Johnson or Jon Leuer. 

OSU needs Jon Diebler to consistently make shots, because he often provides a steady pulse for the team as well.

The Big 10 has some great teams at the top of the conference, and Ohio State will struggle to run the table in the tournament.