Buckeyes survive and advance, will face Gonzaga

BOISE, Id — Ohio State defeated South Dakota State 81-73 on Thursday afternoon to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair, the Buckeyes outlasted the Jackrabbits and will now face Gonzaga on Saturday in a rematch of a regular season meeting between the two schools on November 24th; the “Zags” won that match-up 86-59.

After a dead-even first half, in which Ohio State and South Dakota State were tied at 43, the Buckeyes seemed to pull away late in the game. Ohio State lead 70-60 with four minutes left in the game before the Jackrabbits reeled off a 10-0 run to even the score.

However Ohio State’s Kam Williams scored a four-point play to regain the lead for the Buckeyes, then nailed three free-throws on the ensuing possession after being fouled a second-consecutive time from long-range.

The Jackrabbits never recovered.

Williams scored 22 points, only to be outdone by the Big Ten Player of the Year Keita Bates-Diop who lead Ohio State with 24 points. C.J. Jackson rounded out a trio of Buckeyes who scored 20 points or more, scoring 20 himself, while grabbing 9 rebounds and racking up 5 assists. Bates-Diop also grabbed 12 rebounds to record his 13th double-double of the season.

Mike Daum lead all scorers in the game for South Dakota States with 27 points. David Jenkins Jr. and Brandon Key each chipped in 16.

No game time has been set yet for Ohio State’s match-up with Gonzaga on Saturday.