‘I think they know’: Shockers aren’t discussing tournament status with pressure on
Wichita State’s men’s basketball team posted a 3.29 GPA this fall, the best mark in program history.
So with the Shockers on the bubble — safely inside and hoping to keep it that way — for the NCAA Tournament, WSU coach Gregg Marshall said he isn’t talking to his players about their status, or added pressure.
They’re smart. They know.
“If I talk about it, what am I gonna do?” Marshall said. “What am I trying to accomplish? You don’t think they know? Most of ‘em can read.”
WSU is a No. 11 seed in ESPN’s bracket projection, facing No. 6 BYU, but the Shockers are in the “last four byes,” meaning they are one of the final four teams that won’t have to win a play-in game for the round of 64.
According to USA Today, WSU is a No. 11 seed again, facing Colorado. CBS Sports has the Shockers as a No. 12 in the last four in, facing Richmond to reach the round of 64.
The Shockers took a dip in such bracket projections after suffering a 67-64 road loss to Cincinnati Sunday. It was their first loss in two weeks but sixth in five weeks.
WSU still has four regular-season games to go, starting with a showdown against Temple at 7 p.m. Thursday at Koch Arena. The Shockers’ final three opponents — SMU, Memphis and Tulsa — boast a combined 57-26 record.
Marshall said the road to getting into the tournament is fairly simple.
“Just win as many games as we can,” Marshall said. “Basically it comes down to that. What are we, 20-7 now? No bad losses.”
The Shockers’ seven losses have come against quadrant 1 and 2 teams. They have eight wins against those teams for a quadrant score of 1.19, which is tied for 33rd in the country with Indiana and Wisconsin, both of which appear in ESPN’s latest bracket projection.
WSU has lost to five teams this season, including Houston and Cincinnati twice. Of those five, three are projected to make the tournament. The two that aren’t in the presently projected field of 68 are two of the Shockers’ final four opponents of the regular season.
Teams that have beaten WSU
- West Virginia, No. 5 seed
- Houston, No. 7
- Cincinnati, No. 10
- Tulsa, out
- Temple, out
So while Marshall joked about his team’s comprehension and reading skills, he had a point. The road is clear for the Shockers.
Their NCAA Tournament fate is still in their hands.
“I think they know,” Marshall said. “Ten underclassmen, I don’t want to put any more pressure on ‘em. There’s enough pressure as it is.”