Moses vs. Moses: Big man battle awaits in first round

Arkansas center Moses Kingsley answers questions during a news conference Thursday, March 16, 2017, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. The Razorbacks will play Seton Hall in a first-round NCAA Tournament game at 12:30 p.m., Friday.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- It will be Moses against Moses inside when the Arkansas Razorbacks play Seton Hall today in the NCAA Tournament.

That's 6-10 senior Moses Kingsley for the Razorbacks and 6-10 junior Angel Delgado -- nicknamed "Moses Malone" -- for the Pirates.

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"We call Angel 'Moses Malone' to be honest with you," said Seton Hall Coach Kevin Willard, who began his career working as an assistant for the Boston Celtics in 1998. "I know Moses wasn't playing in the NBA when I when I was there, but I remember watching Moses."

Malone, who died in 2015 at age 60, was a three-time NBA Most Valuable player who had 17,834 rebounds in 1,459 games -- an average of 12.2.

Delgado is averaging 15.3 points and a national-leading 13.1 rebounds.

"I think it's just something God gave me," Delgado said of his ability to rebound. "I really can't explain it.

"I always play hard. When you play hard, you get anything you want."

What Delgado wants is the basketball.

"I think every rebound is mine," he told reporters earlier this season. "At the end of the game I always feel like I got one rebound, even if I got 15."

Delgado has gotten 15 or more rebounds in 12 games this season, including 20 against St. John's and 22 against Butler in back-to-back games.

"He carves out space and keeps it," St. John's Coach Chris Mullin said.

Delgado, a unanimous All-Big East first-team pick this season, became the first player in the conference's rich basketball history to have 20 or more rebounds in back-to-back games.

"He can't jump over a stack of newspapers, but he gets every rebound," Seton Hall junior guard Khadeen Carrington said. "It's just a gift he's got."

Delgado had 13 points and 12 rebounds in Seton Hall's 67-64 victory over South Carolina.

"Delgado's a double-double machine," Gamecocks Coach Frank Martin said.

Pirates 6-6 junior forward Desi Rodriguez, averages 5.1 rebounds, but said Willard gets on him about not getting more.

"Coach screams at me for rebounding, but it's hard to rebound when Angel is in there," Rodriguez said. "He kind of takes all my rebounds."

Delgado is averaging 4.9 offensive rebounds per game this season.

"He's doesn't out-jump you," Willard said. "He doesn't out-quick you.

"He really understands position and timing very well. He knows when one of our players is going to shoot a jumper or when he's going to drive, and I think he has a really good feel for where the ball is going to come off the rim.

"If he misses it, he's got a great motor to follow it, and he usually gets fouled on the second one or gets a score on the second or third one."

Kingsley is averaging 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds.

"I think he's a great player, a good player," Delgado said when asked about Kingsley. "I think he'll give me a good battle in the post.

"But I'm not the type of player to focus on one guy. I've got focus from the point to the center. That's how I play, and that's how our game is."

Kingsley said the Razorbacks have to do a good job of boxing out Delgado and keeping him away from the basket.

"If we do that, we can push the ball after we get a rebound," Kingsley said. "If you put a body on him, the only way he can get the ball is to go over your back."

Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said the Razorbacks need to contain Delgado as a team.

"You can't just guard him with one person," Anderson said. "We can't just let him have it in the paint, because he'll destroy you.

"I think he plays with a lot energy, a lot of passion."

Anderson said Delgado's soft hands help him grab and hang onto the ball whether he's catching the ball, passing it or or rebounding. He's averaging 2.2 assists and shooting 54.8 percent from the field.

"When he catches the ball, it's like Velcro," Anderson said. "That's really helpful in rebounding."

Willard said he's impressed by Kingsley's game, especially his ability to block or alter shots and run to put pressure on the opposing team's post players.

"I think what's most impressive is a guy his size with his physicality that can run up and down the floor," Willard said. "There's not too many bigs that have the motor and the stamina that he does for the minutes he plays."

Sports on 03/17/2017