Wichita State beats Kansas 78-65, moves on to Sweet 16

That historical mismatch between the basketball programs at Wichita State and Kansas needs a new theme. The Shockers own March when the two meet and the rest doesn’t seem to matter as much.

Seventh-seeded Wichita State handled second-seeded Kansas 78-65 on Sunday at CenturyLink Center in the third round of the NCAA Midwest Regional. While the victory wasn’t all that surprising, the completeness of it reduced Jayhawks coach Bill Self to talking about how proud he was that his team kept trying.

“They were far superior to us in the second half,” Self said. “We’ve had a nice year, a good year.”

The Shockers are after so much more than that.

“It’s not about KU for me,” WSU guard Fred VanVleet said. “We played OK against Indiana, but we didn’t play our best. We didn’t play our best in the first half. That second half, we played pretty well. I’m satisified to be moving on.”

WSU (30-4) is headed to the Sweet 16 to face third-seeded Notre Dame at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in a regional semifinal in Cleveland. The Shockers swept out of Omaha after dismantling Indiana and Kansas and now the Irish stand in the way of a possible date with top-seeded Kentucky. Kansas (27-9) is 0-2 against WSU in the NCAA Tournament and it took years for Shocker fans to come down off that New Orleans high from 1981. The Shockers reprised that win with a physical beatdown of the Jayhawks, setting off a celebration that started in the game’s final minutes and will continue for days.

This is what Wichita State and its fans agitated for in recent years. Now everybody knows why. Even if the 2013 Final Four proved the Shockers are part of the state’s basketball elite, a shot at the Jayhawks remained a crucial part of the story. In recent seasons, Missouri Valley Conference mates Bradley and Northern Iowa ruined March for the Jayhawks. WSU felt left out of that fun.

“Since I’ve been here, that’s all the fans want, KU, K-State — especially KU,” VanVleet said. “I’m sure they’re all pretty proud and they’ll rub it in to whoever’s face they need to rub it into. Our fans are crazy.”

The Shockers won 66-65 in 1981 in New Orleans and KU dominated the series, such as it was, until it ended in 1993. When the Shockers surged, they wanted to play. Kansas didn’t.

Why not? The scene in Omaha, one many Kansas fans misssed as they trudged out in the final minutes, provided the answer.

Gregg Marshall’s son Kellen unveiled a yellow shirt reading “Kings of Kansas.” Shockers fans sang out “You don’t want to go to war with the Shockers.” Gregg Marshall danced to the tune, pointed at the band and hugged Evan Wessel. VanVleet cupped his ear and asked the crowd for more noise. Wessel and Tekele Cotton hugged at mid-court and pointed to the crowd. University president John Bardo stood on the court and pumped his fist to the Shockers fans. The crowd chanted “Evan Wessel, Evan Wessel.”

“It was unreal (in the locker room),” WSU forward Darius Carter said. “You didn’t hear us?”

WSU won the 1981 NCAA game with Mike Jones’ long shots in the final seconds and the NBA frontcourt of Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston. The 2015 game belongs to WSU’s defense, its guards and 6-foot-4 power forward Evan Wessel. The Shockers made 10 of 20 three-pointers with Wessel making 4 of 6 to score 12 points. Tekele Cotton led WSU with 19 points and VanVleet added 17.

“This is something we’ve been working for all season — we made history,” WSU forward Zach Brown said. “One of our main goals was to make them feel uncomfortable. We got them a little out of rhythm.”

More than a little.

The Jayhawks, after the game’s first 15 minutes, labored to run their offense, failed to take advantage of their height and backed down against WSU’s physical defense. KU turned the ball over 14 times and shot 35.1 percent from the field, 6 of 21 from three-point range.

“They didn’t really like it when we got out there and pressured them and denied them,” VanVleet said. “It was a total team effort and we guarded them pretty well.”

Perry Ellis and Devonte Graham led Kansas with 17 points. Frank Mason added 16 points and the search for Jayhawks who equaled WSU’s sense of urgency ended there. The Shockers proved that by winning the loose-ball battle, drawing charges and answering every KU burst.

“I knew we were going to battle and win this game,” Carter said. “We worked so hard.”

WSU led 29-26 at halftime after a 13-2 run set the tone and controlled most of the second half.

“We calmed down midway through the first half and stopped taking bad shots and started to execute some offense,” Marshall said.

WSU continued its run in the second half to go up 41-30 with a display of defense and physical basketball that wilted the Jayhawks. Wessel’s three gave the Shockers a 37-30 lead. VanVleet drove for an uncontested layup and a 39-30 lead. After VanVleet bullied Mason into a miss and turnover, he got to the rim again and Baker followed in his miss for an 11-point edge.

Kansas steadied itself briefly at the foul line. Cotton’s three pushed the lead to 49-36 and Shockers fans bounced in joy. KU fans looked stunned.

Wessel made another three for a 54-40 lead, only to see Mason answer quickly.

Brown, announcing himself in March, made another big play when he deflected a pass, out-hustled a Jayhawk to the loose ball and dunked for a 56-45 lead. Brown kept coming with a corner three for a 61-48 lead.

The Jayhawks put pressure on WSU when they cut the lead to to 63-55 on a steal and basket by Mason.

The Shockers flicked that pressure away with a series of layups. They flew through a press to get Carter a layup for a 65-55 lead. VanVleet ran the pick and roll to find Carter for another layup. Cotton stole the ball and rushed in for another layup and a 69-57 lead with 4:39 to play. After the basket, VanVleet gathered the Shockers at midcourt for what looked like instructions on how to finish off one of biggest wins in school history.

“Don’t give the game away,” he said. “Let’s not celebrate yet. I promise when we win, you can celebrate as much as you want.”

Almost there. The Jayhawks never got within double digits. Brannen Greene missed an open three with 2:49 to play and KU trailing 69-59. VanVleet rebounded and desperation struck Kansas. VanVleet made two free throws to start a parade to the line and WSU made 9 of 13 foul shots.

No drama. No comeback. The Shockers wrapped this one up and left no doubt.

After the game, while waiting for reporters to gather, Marshall signaled director of operations Dominic Okon for one final task. A friend gave the Marshalls a bottle of Ruinart champagne. Marshall wanted it iced down for the plane ride to Wichita.

A toast to the Shockers in March, a month they seem to own.

This story was originally published March 22, 2015 at 6:42 PM.