BOISE, Idaho – While guard play might dominate the NCAA Tournament, the frontcourt is getting much of the attention in the No. 5 vs. No. 12 seed matchup in Boise, and for good reason.

Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State's leading scorer and Big Ten Player of the Year, is set to take on South Dakota State's Mike Daum, the Summit League Player of the Year. Both players lead their respective teams in scoring and rebounding and provide length at their respective positions.

Bates-Diop and Daum have both demonstrated an ability to play both inside and out, although Daum has around 20-30 pounds on his Buckeye counterpart. Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann said he has already discussed with Bates-Diop the prospect of expecting and embracing a more physical brand of basketball, especially when guarded by Daum.

"We've talked to him about it because they will try to be physical with him both offensively and defensively. They will try to go at him in that way, so he will have to stand his ground," Holtmann said Wednesday. "He is going to have to be physical if he guards Daum because he is really physical and he has got Keita by probably 25-30 pounds. He is legitimate 250. (Keita) will need to be as physical as he's been."

Offensively, Daum is as versatile as anyone in the country. He shoots from the perimeter at a stellar 42.1 percent clip, while also leading his team in blocks, rebounds and of course, points.

Holtmann said a coaching colleague of his called Daum one of the most difficult players in the entire country to game plan for, because of his multi-dimensional skill-set.

“(Keita) will need to be as physical as he's been.”– Chris Holtmann on KBD guarding Mike Daum

"He's a mismatch. I had a coach in the Pac-12 tell me he is the hardest guy to prepare for in the eight years he's been a head coach in the Pac-12," Holtmann said. "That is saying something, because there are some pretty good players who have come through there."

While Holtmann didn't give away the name of the coach who gave him the scouting report on Daum, Tad Boyle's Colorado team faced Daum this year out of the Pac-12. In that game, Daum scored 37 points in a double-overtime loss to the Buffaloes, who finished the season 17-15.

The most popular comparison in the Ohio State locker room on Wednesday for Daum was that of Michigan's Moritz Wagner, who the Buckeyes have seen twice this season.

Where the Buckeyes had a player to compare their opponent's star player to, the same could not be said for South Dakota State and head coach T.J. Otzelberger, who said players with the talent level of Bates-Diop and Jae'Sean Tate are scarce in the Summit League.

"They've got great mismatch players, Diop obviously being the Big Ten conference player of the year, scores it inside and outside, and so talented. And with Jae'Sean Tate, 6-4, 230 pounds, really physical," Otzelberger said. "Those are players that we don't see every day in our league. And just a very fundamentally sound team. A team you don't see a lot of weakness there. Very well-coached and a group that displays a lot of physicality and toughness."

At 6-foot-9, Daum is the tallest player on the Jackrabbits roster, along with Ian Theisen. Because of his length size, he has the ability to post up and shoot over defenders, much the same way Bates-Diop does with his extended wingspan.

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Both coaches acknowledged Wednesday that the top player on the opposing team will be playing professionally before too long, and Otzelberger said the matchup between the two in the first round of the NCAA Tournament should be fun to watch.

"I think you're dealing with two guys, both conference players of the year, both can score inside and outside, both who have a long career playing professional basketball," Otzelberger said. "So it's just a really neat matchup."

No. 5 seed Ohio State is set to tip off against No. 12 seed South Dakota State on Thursday from Taco Bell Arena at approximately 4 p.m. The game is scheduled to be televised on TNT and will follow the Gonzaga vs. UNC Greensboro tilt.