SALT LAKE CITY, Utah —
Wichita State senior Carl Hall wanted a new look for his last hurrah, especially with a huge test coming up against Pittsburgh
7-footer Steven Adams on Thursday in the Shockers’ NCAA tournament opener.
Hall shed his dreadlocks as the ninth-seeded Shockers geared up for the No. 8 Panthers.
“I just wanted to try something different,” the 6-3, 238-pound Hall said Wednesday. “I wanted to be like a new person coming into this tournament, play harder and just give it my all. It’s my senior year, so I’m trying to get focused.”
While Pitt and Wichita State in many ways are mirror images of each other because of their emphasis on defense, there is a major difference in the battle of bigs.
Hall is a 23-year-old sixth-year senior from Georgia and Adams a 19-year-old freshman from New Zealand, where the approaching rugby season draws more interest than March Madness.
Adams insists he is “in the moment” despite not knowing a few years ago what the NCAA tournament was.
“If you’re in the tournament right now and your mindset ain’t here, you’re obviously going to lose,” said Adams, a gold tooth sparkling through his smile.
Adams first had to take care of a bloody nose Wednesday, the result of an accidental elbow from teammate Dante Taylor.
“We all mess each other up at practice because we go so hard,” Taylor said. “I got hit in my eye again today. Durand (Johnson) busted his lip. Pretty much somebody comes out bleeding every day.”
Thursday’s game likely won’t be much different.
“I know three years ago when we played them, they had the same approach,” senior guard Tray Woodall said of Wichita State. “They had guys that played really, really hard. It reminded us of our style of play in the Big East.”
Experts have the game pegged as the lowest-scoring in the first two full days, not surprising as Pitt (24-8) ranks sixth nationally in scoring defense (55.4 points a game) and the Shockers allow 60.7. Both teams also control the boards, with Wichita State (26-8) averaging 38.4 rebounds a game and the Panthers ninth in rebounding margin.
“The winner on the boards is going to win the game,” said Hall, who is averaging 12.8 points and 7.2 boards.
Both teams are hungry for different reasons.
Pitt is making its 24th tourney appearance but hasn’t advanced past the Elite Eight. The Panthers didn’t qualify last year, a memory that sticks with Woodall. And this is the highest they have been seeded since they were a No. 9 seed in 2005 and lost to Pacific in the opening round.
Wichita State, meanwhile, made a quick departure last year, ousted by Virginia Commonwealth, 62-59, in its opening game.
“It lingers with our group of seniors,” Hall said. “We don’t want to go out this year.”
Adams, of course, has never been part of the NCAAs. He is just getting started in his career after coach Jamie Dixon, who once played basketball in New Zealand, discovered him there a few years ago.
Though Adams still is a teen with a quirky sense of humor, his story has been well-documented. He is the youngest of 18 children and has an older sister who won a pair of Olympic gold medals in shot put.
While the budding star is still trying to fine-tune his game offensively, he can be a beast on the boards.
Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said 7-foot Nigerian Ehimen Orukpe, who averages just 16 minutes a game, will be called on to help against Adams and the Panthers.
“He is not the most polished offensive player in the world, but he rebounds,” Marshall said of Orukpe, a senior. “He protects the basket and we will certainly need him in games such as this where we’re playing high-level size, athleticism and skill.”
Adams answers simply when discussing what makes Wichita State’s front line formidable.
“They’re tall,” Adams said of facing two 6-8 players and Orukpe.
Hall already knows he’ll have to alter his attack.
“I’ve got to try to go around him because he’s such a great shot blocker,” Hall said.
Whether the new low-cut hairstyle gives him an advantage remains to be seen.
“When I look in the mirror, it’s different, like I haven’t seen this person in like five years,” he said. “I haven’t gotten used to it. I lay in bed at and I rub my head wondering, what did I do?
“My (dreadlocks) distracted other players, which allowed me to get my shots off. I got to see how things go tomorrow.”
College
Related Photos
-
Pitt’s Dante Taylor (above) takes a shot on Wednesday during practice for today’s second-round NCAA tournament game in Salt Lake City. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
Discussion
Pitt-Wichita State expected to be defensive battle
- College
-
-
Defendants in Penn State scandal lose another appeal
Two former Penn State administrators lost a second state appeals court ruling in less than two weeks Tuesday, when Superior Court threw out their request to review whether a grand jury judge had authority to dismiss charges against them.
The appeals court agreed with prosecutors, who argued the Supreme Court alone can consider matters regarding a grand jury investigation. The high court earlier this month, in a parallel matter, also ruled against retired vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley. -
Former Penn St. players support Paterno family lawsuit
About 325 former Penn State players and coaches have signed a statement supporting the lawsuit filed by the family of former coach Joe Paterno and other former players seeking to overturn NCAA sanctions against the football program for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
- Local sports in brief 6/15/2013
-
Lions have two QB hopefuls
Prized incoming freshman Christian Hackenberg is officially in the Penn State quarterback derby before ever taking a snap.
-
Appeals rejected in PSU abuse case
The state’s highest court turned down appeals Friday by two of the three former Penn State administrators facing criminal charges alleging that they covered up child abuse complaints against retired assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The state Supreme Court issued a pair of unsigned orders that denied petitions for review filed by former university Vice President Gary Schultz and former Athletic Director Tim Curley. -
Roberts readies for major league draft
The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft kicked off last night with the opening two rounds.
-
Judge tosses lawsuit by Governor Corbett against NCAA
A federal judge on Thursday threw out the governor’s lawsuit against the NCAA over sanctions against Penn State related to Jerry Sandusky, calling his argument “a Hail Mary pass” that easily warranted dismissal.
-
Lawyer: Paterno family suit differs from governor’s
The lawsuit filed against the NCAA by the family of the late coach Joe Paterno has claims and legal theories different from the lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania’s governor that was thrown out by a federal judge, the family’s attorney said Thursday.
-
Penn State athletic director believes O'Brien is there to stay
Penn State Athletic Director David Joyner expects Bill O’Brien to be the Nittany Lions’ football coach for a long time – even if O’Brien keeps attracting interest from the NFL.
In an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press, Joyner said he and O’Brien speak several times a week and when they do, “I can tell you we talk in terms of years and years. We make plans for years and years.” -
Seven Northern Cambria athletes choose colleges
Alex Atkins was a standout defenseman for the Northern Cambria Colts and the Tribune-Democrat Defensive Player of the Year. Now, he will continue to play football and further his education at Division I Brown University. Atkins and six of his classmates have committed to continue their athletic careers in college.
- More College Headlines
-
Defendants in Penn State scandal lose another appeal
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
Aug. Trial Set for Ohio Man in Triple Kidnapping
Car Crash in NYC's East Village Injures 8
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Raw: Car Jumps Curb in NYC, Injures 8
Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
