SALT LAKE CITY —
This was supposed to be a comeback season for Pittsburgh after failing to make the NCAA tournament last year.
But a quarterfinal loss to Syracuse in the Big East tourney and a 73-55 thumping at the hands of Wichita State on Thursday in the second round of the NCAA tournament had coach Jamie Dixon feeling bad for his players.
“I’m sorry for our seniors to go out this way. They had great careers, and won a lot of games for us,” Dixon said of Dante Taylor and Tray Woodall, who wept during postgame interviews.
Dixon, the subject of speculation surrounding the head coaching job at Southern California, said “Well, yes,” when asked whether he expected to be back at Pitt (24-9).
“I just had my point guard break down here,” he added quickly. “That’s the farthest thing from my mind.”
Woodall was leading No. 8 seed Pitt in scoring entering Thursday’s second-round game. He finished with two points on 1-of-12 shooting, including 0 of 5 from 3-point range, with five turnovers.
“They played great and seemed to be far more aggressive,” Dixon said of the ninth-seeded Shockers. “Extremely disappointed in the loss. I know we’re a better team that what we played today.”
The Panthers will go forward with 7-footer Steven Adams, forward Lamar Patterson and freshman Durand Johnson.
Adams led Pitt (24-9) with 13 points and 11 rebounds in his first NCAA action, hardly overwhelmed at the big stage, something that could be a springboard for next year.
“Well, it has to be,” Dixon said. “That’s what I told our returning guys ... it’s something we’ve got to learn from and for Steve, he kept battling and kept going and was active around the glass.”
Malcolm Armstead led Wichita State with 22 points and Cleanthony Early added 21. Carl Hall added 11 points for the Shockers (27-8), who face the winner of the No. 1-ranked Gonzaga-Southern game.
The Shockers forced Pitt into 15 turnovers and held the Panthers to 35 percent shooting, including 1 of 17 from 3-point range.
Woodall missed his first four shots and it didn’t get much better from there.
Plenty of credit went to Tekele Cotton, who had the task of guarding Woodall.
“Tray missed three layups there in a row at one point,” Dixon said. “It’s just one of those days for us. We talked about him being their best defender. ... Our balance has been our key, but when you don’t have anybody shoot it well and you go 1 of 17 from the 3, there are not a lot of things you can point to.”
The Shockers scored 21 points off turnovers and took advantage at the free throw line, making 33 of 41 attempts.
Wichita State led 26-21 at the break but nearly doubled its offensive output in the second half.
Early’s layup and two free throws by Armstead pushed Wichita State’s lead to 30-21 early in the second half. Johnson’s 3-pointer cut it to 30-26, and the Panthers were within 35-31 following a three-point play by James Robinson. Cotton answered with a 3-pointer to bump the Shockers’ lead to 38-31 with 12:44 remaining.
Hall’s three-point play with under 12 minutes left gave the Shockers a 10-point lead, 41-31. Pitt pulled within six after four free throws but the Shockers went on a 6-0 run, fueled by a pair of steals, a dunk by Cotton and two more free throws by Early for a 47-35 advantage with 10:13 left.
The Panthers wouldn’t get any closer than eight the rest of the way.
The game was expected to be a defensive struggle, with Pitt allowing just 55.4 points and the Shockers known for dominating the glass with 38 rebounds a game.
As expected, it was physical.
When Adams went in strong for a dunk in the first half, he was fouled hard by Early.
“We weren’t surprised at all,” Woodall said. “Coming into this game, coach emphasized to us that they were real physical. These guys were real tough.”
College
Related Photos
-
Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early shoots over Pittsburgh’s Durand Johnson during the first half of Thursday’s game. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Discussion
Another year, another breakdown for Panthers
- College
-
-
MIKE MASTOVICH | Roberts, Kent State up to old tricks
George Roberts and his Kent State University teammates reached a familiar destination on Saturday afternoon, but took a somewhat different route in winning their third consecutive Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular-season title.
- Local sports in brief 5/19/2013
- Local sports in brief 5/18/2013
- Local sports in brief 5/17/2013
-
College players dominate Point nominations
Pitt-Johnstown junior Jake Warner was perfect and extremely productive at the plate while earning the first two monthly nominations for the 2013 Point Stadium Award in February and March.
Mount Aloysius sophomore Derrick Capiak nearly reached perfection to take the April nomination. -
Penn State guard leaving for pro career
Penn State guard Jermaine Marshall, the team’s second-leading scorer, is foregoing his senior year of eligibility to pursue a professional career overseas.
The team announced the surprise move in a statement Wednesday. The 6-foot-4 Marshall, who is on schedule to graduate this summer, cited his family including a 1-year-old son, in making his decision. -
Penn State coach blasts Sports Illustrated article
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien is fervently disputing suggestions raised in a report that player medical care has been compromised after the team doctor was replaced.
Speaking often in an angry tone that might be otherwise reserved for an argument with an official, O’Brien told reporters in a conference call that the health and safety of his players were his top priorities. -
East Stroudsburg wins PSAC championship
Senior Brian Ernst threw eight innings without allowing an earned run on just two days rest and East Stroudsburg University used a five-run fifth inning to secure its first PSAC baseball championship since 1971 with a 7-1 win over defending champion West Chester on Saturday at Point Stadium.
The Warriors (33-16), who set a school record with their 33rd win, earned the PSAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament thanks in large part to an outstanding effort by Ernst, who was named the PSAC Tournament MVP. -
Millersville players help couple resuscitate ailing child
The Millersville University baseball team came up with a great save this week, but it had nothing to do with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament being played at Point Stadium.
A trip for an after-midnight snack on Wednesday morning ended with seven Marauders being hailed as heroes by a local family after they helped save a little boy who wasn’t breathing. -
PSAC baseball prefers Point Stadium
The 2014 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference baseball tournament is slated for Pullman Park in Butler.
- More College Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
