Wichita State earns state bragging rights, eliminating Kansas

OMAHA — After 22 years of waiting, Wichita State delivered a resounding knockout of No. 2 seed Kansas that will long resonate throughout the state.

In their first meeting since 1993 — a game Sunday that Kansas coach Bill Self said could be the most talked-about game in state history — the Shockers authored a 78-65 victory that should not be viewed as a Round-of-32 NCAA tournament upset.

Immediately afterward, Wichita State's coach Gregg Marshall charged toward his family in the front row of CenturyLink Center and winked at his wife. This was a victory the Shockers will forever savor.

"I'm not sure we'll even need a plane to fly home," Marshall said.

There was Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback greeting the Wichita State team in its locker room and wearing a "Kings of Kansas" T-shirt in Shockers colors. He looked out at the players and said, "This is my team."

There was Wichita State's Ron Baker, a native of tiny Scott City, Kan., who grew up such a diehard Kansas fan that he would become angered if the Jayhawks lost a game. When Kansas lost to Syracuse in the 2003 national title game, Baker said he uttered some "choice words that my mom put soap in my mouth for."

On Sunday, Baker was one of five Shockers in double figures as he played an integral role in beating his childhood team. Afterward, he looked toward his family and flexed his muscles.

"This was a game I dreamed about, but I dreamed about being on the other bench," Baker said. "I had to let loose my emotions and slap myself across my face that this was reality."

Wichita State, the No. 7 seed in the Midwest, had the two best players on the floor in Baker and point guard Fred VanVleet. The Shockers appeared quicker to most loose balls. For much of the game, they simply looked like the better, tougher team.

One year after seeing an undefeated season end in their second NCAA tournament game against eventual national runner-up Kentucky, the Shockers are headed to the Sweet 16. They will play third-seeded Notre Dame in Thursday's Midwest Regional semifinal in Cleveland.

Another big-name school is on deck for Wichita State in the NCAAs. What else is new?

Marshall has taken note that the last three tournament games Wichita State played were against Kentucky, Indiana and Kansas, three of the bluest of blue-bloods.

"Count up the national titles of all of them," Marshall said.

Before Wichita State played Indiana on Friday, Marshall told his team, "When the ball is tossed, it doesn't matter about your seed, it doesn't matter about what's on the front of your jersey, it doesn't matter what's on the back of your jersey. It's what team plays the best … We're a pretty good basketball team that can beat anyone in the country when we play well."

Sunday's victory will be one to savor. In their 1993 matchup, Kansas beat Wichita State 103-54 in a game Marshall called the "Behind kicking in Lawrence." Even though both programs are now perennial national contenders, there has been little dialogue in recent years about restarting the non-league rivalry.

Marshall and Self had only one informal conversation over the years about reviving the series. At a Rotary Club of Wichita event called Hoopapalooza, Marshall told Self, "Hey, we should play."

As Marshall recalled, Self "laughed it off. It wasn't a negotiation."

Brownback said in the Wichita State locker room that both teams are so good, and create so much excitement, that they should definitely play more regularly.

After Sunday's game, Marshall said, "I'd love to start playing them in the tournament every year. Maybe that's what we can start doing."

Sunday's game lived up to the hype that had been building for 48 hours. But the outcome was not a surprise.

Even Self felt Wichita State was underseeded. And this is not a vintage Jayhawks team even though they won their 11th consecutive Big 12 title. Kansas lacks an impact post presence that it traditionally has had under Self. That was a point that Wichita State assistant Steve Forbes emphasized to players before the game in the locker room.

Late in the game, with his team holding a double-digit lead, VanVleet (who will be traveling home to Rockford, Ill., Monday for his grandmother's funeral) pulled players together in his own huddle before they went to the bench during a timeout. He wanted to make sure that the Shockers weren't going to give the game away and that they shouldn't celebrate prematurely.

Now it's time for the Shockers and their passionate fan base to celebrate

As Marshall said, "I'm pretty sure Wichita is on fire right now."