The fan’s guide to Wichita State basketball

This could be a special season for Wichita State basketball. Of course, they all seem special now.

OK, you’re spoiled. Your 1995 self is calling you on a brick-like black cell phone to remind you to appreciate it.

So this is me – a guy who doesn’t pay for tickets and lets his boss fret about airline prices and bookings in March – telling you how to best enjoy the season. Weird, but here goes.

1. Don’t wait until March to dig in

You know it’s going to be fun watching Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet. They’re two of the nation’s best.

Don’t neglect the others. The intrigue on this team comes from watching players such as Landry Shamet and Markis McDuffie improve. They’ll get chances in ho-hum games in November and December. That should pay off later in the season.

The best Shocker newcomers understand that while making baskets can get you on the floor, it is rarely the best way to impress coach Gregg Marshall. If a freshman’s default position is to shoot, he better make a bunch. Marshall preaches that defense and rebounding give players a chance to show their offensive skills.

Those who buy in are off to a good start.

If you wait until March to check in, you might miss some of this delicious development.

And as the 2012 Shockers, the 2010 Kansas Jayhawks, the 2001 Iowa State Cyclones, the 1996 UCLA Bruins and every Creighton team can tell you, the end can come suddenly in March.

2. Fred VanVleet wants to dunk

You don’t want to miss that moment.

3. Appreciate Baker and VanVleet

Not much more can be said about their careers, but we will try.

It might be instructive to watch those two in the rare moments the ball is not in their hands. Defense. Setting screens. Celebrating when a teammate scores. Running hard to the basket on a break to suck in defenders and free up a teammate. Pulling aside a freshman and explaining what happens next and where to go.

These talents – and background stories – don’t come along every season. It is possible two All-American guards will again team up for Wichita State someday. It is not guaranteed.

4. Follow along on social media. All the cool kids are doing it. Just don’t hassle players after they miss a free throw.

Here are some to get you started:

Ron Baker

Twitter: @RDB_sh31ox

Instagram: rdb_sh31ox

Fred VanVleet

Twitter: @FredVanVleet

Instagram: fredvanvleet

Evan Wessel

Twitter: @EvanWessel

Instagram: evanwes3

Zach Bush

Twitter: @JustMe_Z_235

Instagram: z_teethirty3

Conner Frankamp

Twitter: @CFrankamp_23

Instagram: cfrankamp

Greg Heiar, assistant coach

Twitter: @gregheiar

Instagram: gregheiar23

Landry Shamet

Twitter: @Shamet_Landry11

Instagram: landry_shamet

5. Travel

It’s hard to get tickets to games at Koch Arena. It’s easier to get tickets for road games. Unfortunately, few are within a reasonable drive and most of those are on weeknights.

The Shockers play Tuesday at Tulsa, the closest game outside the city limits. They play at Saint Louis on a Saturday (Dec.5).

The closest MVC games are at Missouri State (Jan. 13) and at Drake (Feb. 9), both on weeknights.

Flights to Chicago are direct, which has made the new MVC series with Loyola popular. It is also a weeknight game (Feb. 24), which means allow plenty of time for traffic.

Wichita State’s ticket office has tickets for the Tulsa game. For others, go through the home team’s ticket office.

A trip to St. Louis for the MVC Tournament is guaranteed entertainment. It grows more popular each season for Shocker fans. The fact WSU hasn’t dominated this event adds suspense that might be missing in January and February.

Wear your Royals gear to bug Cardinals fans. Eat on The Hill. Tour the Arch. Meet fans from other schools. Enjoy I-70.

6. For TV viewers, this is a golden age for Shocker fans. Every game will be available on some sort of broadcast.

You can watch the Shockers on a TV, on your phone, computer or tablet. Over and over again, if necessary.

This leads us to the annual conversation with people who don’t understand how the free market works.

Cox Kansas owns the TV rights to a product (13 Shocker games). It wants people to pay for that product. If you don’t pay Cox for that product, you can’t watch the games live on TV.

There are, however, options.

Find a friend. Go to a bar. Purchase AppleTV, Roku or a similar device so you can watch ESPN3.com on your TV. That allows you to get Shockers games on Cox tape delayed. Games in Cox’s Kansas markets are blocked on ESPN3.com until after the game. Outside Kansas, Cox subscribers in many markets can watch live.

7. Find a villain.

This is, unfortunately, difficult.

Creighton is no longer on the schedule (except for women’s basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball).

Tulsa has some potential, but that rivalry hasn’t mattered since the 1980s and it’s hard to generate heat when meeting once a season. Don’t underestimate the Golden Hurricane this season because WSU has won seven in a row. Tulsa returns nine seniors from a team that finished second in the American Athletic Conference and played in the NIT.

Northern Iowa gave WSU significant challenges and heartache over the past 15 years. The Panthers and coach Ben Jacobson go about their business so calmly, there is little fire. Drake coach Ray Giacolleti fired up the Shockers last season when he compared Illinois State’s athletic ability favorably to that of the Shockers.

That’s thin stuff to build a feud.

The rivalry with Illinois State and coach Dan Muller carries some recent chippiness, highlighted by WSU’s 8-points-in-41-seconds rally in 2013 at Redbird Arena. The Shockers didn’t like losing to Illinois State in the 2012 and 2015 MVC Tournaments. Illinois State is a rising team and good enough to push the Shockers.

It’s nothing like Cincinnati in the 1960s, Tulsa in the 1980s or Creighton in recent seasons. Illinois State, however, is the top candidate for disdain in the MVC. The Redbirds will visit Koch Arena on Feb. 27 for the regular-season finale and senior festivities.

8. Some good news for those with cash or good timing.

Student tickets that aren’t claimed are available for purchase 48 hours before each home game. For some games, a few reserved seats (returned by opponents) are available 48 hours before the game through the Koch Arena ticket office, goshockers.com or at 316-978-3267.

Tickets to Koch Arena games are available on secondary markets, such as StubHub.com or Tickets For Less. On Monday, prices ranged from $100-$186 for the Dec. 9 game against UNLV.

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 6:37 AM with the headline "The fan’s guide to Wichita State basketball."