Ohio State defeated Wisconsin, 49-48, to win the Big Ten Championship Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio. In recognition of that feat, here are 10 observations culled from an afternoon on the couch:

The Badgers played a terrific game against a tough team in a hostile environment. There is no shame in this loss. There is nothing that says they won't win the national championship from a No. 2 seed, if that's what comes their way. I just don't want to hear anyone argue that Wisconsin was actually a better team than Ohio State. The Buckeyes showed tremendous skill and poise and they deserve to be league champs for the second time in three years.

To say that Kammron Taylor's missed free throw with 20 seconds left cost the Badgers the game -- not to mention a share of the league title and a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament - would be simplistic and unfair. But, it was a glaring reminder of Wisconsin's season-long problems from the line. The fact that Wisconsin attempted only six free throws in the game speaks to other problems, the biggest of which is an inability to get Alando Tucker the ball in position to score and draw fouls. Speaking of Tucker...

Badgers fans should prepare themselves for the reality that Alando Tucker is not going to win national player of the year honors. Tucker has been outstanding this season and he's a legit candidate to be named an All-American, but he hasn't been "taking over" games down the stretch like he did earlier in the season. He was 5 for 15 with 12 points Sunday and was scoreless for nearly 17 minutes in the second half. Voters who watched the Badgers lose to Michigan State and Ohio State last week are probably looking elsewhere, because Tucker's primary skill is scoring. On days when he doesn't do that, he doesn't pass, rebound or defend well enough to make himself a factor.

If there was a bright spot in the game, it was the play of freshman Jason Bohannon, who drained 3 three-point shots and gave the cold-shooting Badgers (35 percent from the floor) a much-needed boost. Bohannon has a bright future, but at present the Badgers need Taylor and Michael Flowers to start hitting from the outside.

Did anybody else notice that Trevon Hughes was open on the wing when Taylor began his ill-fated drive for the final shot? I'm not going to rip Taylor for not passing, though. With the game on the line, you'd rather have the ball in the hands of a more experienced player or a more accomplished outside shooter like Bohannon, whose three-pointer was nullified when the Badgers called timeout.

As for that timeout, I understood the call but doesn't it seem like most buzzer-beaters come "in the flow" and not after a timeout? Bo Ryan has forgotten more about coaching than I'll ever know, but I think good things happen in transition in the closing seconds. Then again, with less than five seconds left there isn't a lot of time to get the ball upcourt and get a decent look.

Speaking of the last shot, it sure didn't look like Taylor got fouled on the final play. Ron Lewis just made a great block; much like Jason Chappell did to Lewis moments earlier. Chappell has to be a frustrating guy to coach. He's not an offensive threat, which hurts. But, you'll see him get caught out of position, drop a pass in the pivot or flub an alley-oop and -- just when you're about to give up on him -- he'll make a great play like the block or the pass to Tucker for the Badgers' go-ahead basket. That's how it goes with college kids: you take the good with the bad.

We need reader help deciding which sight was more gruesome. Was it the slo-motion replay of Wisconsin big man Brian Butch dislocating his elbow? Was it Joe Krabbenhoft putting his contact lens in his mouth before attempting to put it back on his eye? Or, was it Ohio State coach Thad Matta spitting out his gum while yelling at an official, then picking the gum off the floor and putting it back in his mouth? We're leaning toward the coach.

Butch hadn't been playing particularly well, but the Badgers missed his size, his fouls and his midrange jumper. It's unknown how much time he'll miss, but it's going to be harder for the team to get to the Final Four without him.

The first time the Badgers saw Greg Oden, he was playing with one hand and he was scary. He's even scarier with two hands. Wisconsin and the rest of the league will jump for joy when the guy gets drafted into the NBA, because there is no way he's going back to college. The bad news is that point guard Mike Conley, Jr., who hit the big shot, will be back. And he'll have enough friends around to make the Buckeyes a force in the future.