Pitt’s big challenge in NCAA First Four: Contain Mississippi State’s 6-11 Tolu Smith
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DAYTON, Ohio — The game will hit the TV sets in the Canary Islands at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, an hour later on the Spanish mainland.
“My dad will be watching,” Pitt freshman Jorge Diaz Graham said. “My friends, maybe.”
But, Jorge, don’t they have to get up and go to school or work the next day?
“They love basketball,” he said. “I don’t think they care.”
The Diaz Graham twins, on their first NCAA experience. pic.twitter.com/W957x9Cc5G
— Jerry DiPaola (@JDiPaola_Trib) March 13, 2023
When Pitt opens its First Four NCAA Tournament game against Mississippi State at 9:10 p.m. Tuesday, Pitt’s best chance to combat the Bulldogs’ physicality might take shape in the form of 6-foot-11 Jorge and his 7-foot twin brother, Guillermo.
Pitt coach Jeff Capel said before practice Monday that starting center Federiko Federiko’s availability will be a “game-time” decision because of a knee injury he suffered Wednesday against Georgia Tech. He played only 12 minutes the next day against Duke.
Federiko, who was on the University of Dayton court with his teammates for a light workout Monday night, said he doesn’t know if he will play.
“Not sure. We’re just working on it,” he said.
That may leave it up to the twins — and anyone else, especially 6-7 forward Blake Hinson — to combat the Bulldogs’ 6-11, 245-pound forward Tolu Smith, who turned into a big-time SEC force after transferring from Western Kentucky.
Smith, a first-team All-SEC performer this season, averaged 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. His numbers were even better (17 points, 11 rebounds per game) when Mississippi State (21-12) stepped up in class, played — and defeated — NCAA Tournament participants Marquette, TCU, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
“Super big, super athletic. He’s a big man,” Federiko said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us, but we’re going to do OK.”
With only a day to prepare, Capel watched five Mississippi State games and saw all he needed to see of Smith.
“He has similarities to (North Carolina center Armando) Bacot,” Capel said, “in the fact that he is very physical. “Outstanding offensive rebounder and an outstanding scorer with a high percentage around the basket. He’s relentless in his pursuit of the basketball on his shots, on other people’s shots, with how physical he is posting up. He’s a load down there.”
Mississippi State struggled for parts of the season, losing eight of nine games immediately after starting the season 11-0. Yet the Bulldogs ended the season winning 8 of 12 games. No. 1 Alabama rode the Bulldogs out of the SEC Tournament on Friday, 72-49.
The Bulldogs present a unique opponent for Pitt. They are last among 352 Division I schools in 3-point shooting percentage (27.3%) but fourth in the SEC in 3-point defense (30.9% for their opponents). That might make it a difficult matchup for Pitt, a team that has struggled defensively recently and, thus, needs outstanding 3-point shooting to keep pace with its opponents.
“(Smith) is a huge part of their resiliency,” Capel said. “They showed incredible toughness, togetherness, resiliency to continue to fight and stay together and to really turn their season around.
“I thought (Smith) was a big part of it. The attention he commanded from the defense to allow those other guys to do things. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us.”
Guillermo Diaz Graham understands the task he must shoulder — even if Federiko does play.
“He goes to the glass pretty strong,” Diaz Graham said. “It’s going to be who fights harder.”
He said his plan will be to “just try to get in front of him. Try to avoid contact with him because if he touches me, he’s going to be stronger than me. It’s going to be hard.”
But he doesn’t plan to allow Smith to intimidate him before the game even starts.
The key will be, he said, “Who wants it more?”