Something To Prove

(St. Louis, MO) – Wichita State still has something to prove. After a Final Four run last year and 34 straight wins this year, the national pundits still believe the Shockers are a good, but not great team. The Selection Committee didn’t do them any favors, according to Dick Vitale and were out to punish them according to Charles Barkley.

The gauntlet before them IS formidable and the best of teams would struggle with it, but national media members are practically salivating at the idea that Wichita State could be out in the third round against mighty Kentucky.  They can’t wait to say “I told you so” for their own reputation to be secured.

With the pre-season number one team in round three (Kentucky), the national champions in round four (Louisville) waiting for them any team could, in fact be great and lose one of those games. But not this Shocker team. If they lose, they will be held up as frauds or ‘paper champions’ of a weak league, because that’s what the talking heads believe and want to be seen as being brilliant.

Complaints about the Shocker schedule reveal the lack of integrity in the complainers. Power Conferences , or as I call them, ‘Money Conferences’ often won’t play WSU. All Gregg Marshall’s team has done has defeat five of the final 63 other teams in the bracket. All they have done is won 38 of their last 39 games. In their own Missouri Valley Conference, three teams went to post season play and they went 6 and 0 against them. Add in a victory over Davidson (NIT) and you have a team that is 12-0 against post-season teams!

Head Coach Gregg Marshall knows his team still has to win over the critics, but he doesn’t really care what the critics think. As he said at the MVC tournament, “the lion doesn’t have to listen to sheep.”

Marshall said one of the things his team gained from their Final Four run in 2013 is confidence.

 

The Shockers still seem to be the ‘underdog’ in many people’s minds, but Coach Marshall and the Shockers actually enjoy that role, but prefer the title of ‘hunting dog’ instead.

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