In brief: Badgers finish double whammy

Basketball: Nobody’s perfect.

Jordan Taylor and Wisconsin found themselves in a huge hole against previously unbeaten Ohio State (24-1, 11-1 Big Ten), but the Badgers only needed about 13 minutes to shatter the Buckeyes’ chase at an undefeated season.

“We knew we had a run in us,” Taylor (center in photo) said.

Taylor scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, rallying No. 13 Wisconsin from a 15-point deficit to beat No. 1 Ohio State 71-67 on Saturday in Madison, Wis., and keep Division I without a perfect team since Indiana in 1975-76.

Wisconsin (19-5, 9-3) topped a No. 1 opponent for the first time since 1962, when it was also Ohio State. The Badgers joined Florida as the only programs to knock off the same No. 1 school in both football and men’s basketball in the same academic year. The Gators also beat Ohio State in both sports in 2006-07.

Associated Press

Bigger issues than bad hair day

Baseball: Florida International shortstop Garrett Wittels still needs a haircut.

He’s been tempted over the past eight months. The dark locks now extend well below the helmet of college baseball’s reigning hit king. But superstitions are superstitions, and Wittels vowed not to get them trimmed until his 56-game hitting streak – still going from last season – ends.

“Gets annoying sometimes,” Wittels said, tugging one of his curls. “But it’s not that bad.”

Hair, Wittels can laugh about. But there’s more hanging over him than that.

Wittels’ status for the Feb. 18 start of FIU’s season – when he was to resume pursuit of Robin Ventura’s 58-game Division I record streak set in 1987 – is unclear, after he was charged in a rape case in the Bahamas in December.

The university’s decision on his status is expected next week, although the charge will likely be pending for several months.

Wittels declined to discuss specifics of the case with The AP.

“The day that everything came out, that was the hardest day of my life,” Wittels said.

He is accused of forcing sex on a 17-year-old girl. The age of consent in the Bahamas is 16. Wittels was with a group of friends, some of whom were charged with raping both the female who accused Wittels and another 17-year-old.

“I just put myself in a bad situation,” Wittels said.

Associated Press