Ohio State forward Keita Bates-Diop had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Kam Williams had a season-high 22 points, including seven in a row in the final 96 seconds, as the Buckeyes held off South Dakota State 81-73 on Thursday in a first-round game in the NCAA West Regional at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho.

Williams hit a 3-pointer with 1:36 remaining and converted the free throw when fouled on the play to break a tie at 70, and after a South Dakota State miss converted all three free throws when fouled on a 3-point attempt with 55 seconds left for a 77-70 lead.

C.J. Jackson had 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the fifth-seeded Buckeyes (25-8), who lost all of a 13-point second-half lead before Williams' clutch play near the end.

Summit League player of the year Mike Daum had 27 points and six rebounds and Brandon Key and David Jenkins Jr. had 16 points apiece for the 12th-seeded Jackrabbits (28-7), who had an 11-game winning streak broken, the third-longest in the nation behind Gonzaga (15) and Murray State (13).

Bates-Diop, the Big Ten player of the year, had his 13th double-double of the season as the Buckeyes moved on to meet fourth-seeded Gonzaga, which survived a scare in a 68-64 victory over UNC Greensboro.

Bates-Diop and Jackson each made four 3-pointers as the Buckeyes were 12 of 40 from 3-point range.

Daum made five 3s and Key had four for the Jackrabbits.

Daum's free throw with three minutes into the second half gave South Dakota State a 48-45 lead, but Bates-Diop and Jackson hit 3-pointers as the Buckeyes went on a 16-0 lead to open a 61-48 lead. Jackson scored seven points and Williams had six in that stretch.

The Jackrabbits were hardly done, however. Threes by Key and Daum brought them within four points at 70-66 with 3:26 remaining. Key's jumper made it 70-68 with 2:39 left, and Reed Rellingheusen made two free throws with 1:53 remaining to tie the game.

The Jackrabbits made their third straight NCAA tournament appearance and fifth in seven seasons, but are still looking for their first victory. They fell to NCAA runnerup Gonzaga last year.

The Buckeyes have made 28 NCAA appearance, this marking their first since 2015. They had lost three of five games coming in.

--Field Level Media