Coming up clutch

Keita Bates-Diop hasn’t played more than 10 minutes in a game for Ohio State since Jan. 22.

Oh, and before Thursday, the freshman forward hadn’t made a 3-pointer.

But that was before Thursday.

Since this is the NCAA tournament, of course Bates-Diop — not OSU star D’Angelo Russell, or the Buckeyes bevy of experienced seniors — came up in the clutch for VCU, making two late 3-pointers to help Ohio State advance to play Arizona on Saturday.

Bates-Diop made one three in overtime and another toward the end of regulation in a 75-72 win against VCU.

“The coaches and all my teammates believed in me,” Bates-Diop said, “I couldn’t let them down.”