‘A total explosion’: Shockers basketball team erupts in joy with NCAA Tournament bid
The last 24 hours were nerve-wracking ones for the Wichita State men’s basketball team.
The Shockers thought they had done enough — win the outright American Athletic Conference regular season championship and compile a 16-5 record — to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament field. But they were nervous after seeing the majority of bracketologists slot WSU outside of the cut line following its 60-59 loss to Cincinnati in the conference tournament semifinals on Saturday.
“I think everybody was pretty nervous, pretty anxious,” WSU sophomore Tyson Etienne said. “It’s the unknown. You’re not certain if you’re going to get in.”
“It was a long morning for a lot of us,” WSU junior Dexter Dennis added.
In the end, the NCAA Tournament selection committee determined the Shockers were indeed worthy of playing in March Madness. WSU received the second-to-last at-large bid and will play fellow No. 11 seed Drake in a First Four game at 5:27 Thursday night at Purdue’s Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana that will air on TBS.
It was obvious how much nervous tension was built up by the eruption of pure joy and happiness when WSU saw its name in the field on Sunday. Even their usually stoic head coach, Isaac Brown, was seen jumping around with his players, hugging anyone in sight.
“It was a total explosion,” Brown said. “These kids were so excited. I was so excited. It’s a great feeling knowing that you’re going to be playing in the NCAA Tournament. I’m just so excited for these players and for Shocker Nation.”
While WSU has played in eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, because last season’s March Madness was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, none of WSU’s scholarship players have played on college basketball’s biggest stage. Senior walk-ons Brycen Bush and Jacob Herrs are the only players with NCAA Tournament experience.
“Easily one of the best moments of my life,” WSU senior Alterique Gilbert said. “Just because of my journey. Getting to this point with this group of guys, I’m just happy to be a part of this family. Whenever this season does end, I know we’ve created a great relationship that will last a lifetime.”
The players say the First Four route seems fitting for this team, which was once picked seventh in the AAC and had to overcome adversity and doubt en route to an improbable NCAA Tournament appearance.
“It’s a metaphor for our year,” Etienne said. “Nothing easy. We don’t get the first-round game, that’s OK. You get what cards are dealt and you make the best of it.”
“All the NCAA needed to do was to give us a chance,” WSU junior Morris Udeze said. “Just put us in the door.”
WSU was still making travel arrangements from Fort Worth to the Indianapolis area as of Sunday night and Brown said he is unsure what’s next for junior guard Trevin Wade and freshman forward Jaden Seymour, who missed the AAC Tournament because of COVID-19 protocol.
Players will need seven straight days of negative tests in order to play in Indiana. Brown did not specify if Wade and Seymour have been testing negative or were held out by contact tracing.
All of those questions can be answered later. For now, Brown was just happy to be coaching a team headed to March Madness.
“I’m just excited to be in the NCAA Tournament. We could have played anybody,” Brown said. “I’m just super excited for the players and for the fans that come out and support us. I’m glad we have another opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament and prolong our season.”
This story was originally published March 14, 2021 at 7:51 PM.
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