Bob Lutz: Bradley’s pains show Shocker fans what they’re thankful for

I’d like to think the Missouri Valley Conference is going to fix its issues and be a viable, tough basketball conference again. One that can keep up with the Wichita State juggernaut created over the past 15 years because of two astute hires and a huge stack of money to keep coaches, and success, from leaving.

I just don’t know.

And that’s why it’s a smart idea for WSU president John Bardo and interim athletic director Darron Boatright to look around, to check out what might be available and feasible when it comes to conference affiliation. Because at the moment, the rest of the Valley isn’t keeping up.

That was apparent again Saturday when the Shockers trounced Bradley 88-54 at Koch Arena. Let’s not pick on the Braves, who are playing a lot of freshmen under first-year coach Brian Wardle and fell to 3-18, 1-7 in the Valley.

But Bradley is an example of what can happen if college athletic administrators aren’t relentless in their pursuit of excellence. Former Wichita State athletic director Jim Schaus was, and it resulted in the hirings of Mark Turgeon and Gregg Marshall. They made sure the malaise of the 1990s — WSU had only two winning seasons from 1989-90 through 2001-02 and even those each one game over .500 — didn’t last.

It’s hard to win in college basketball year after year, but the Shockers figured out a way. Bring in good coaches, who in turn bring in good players. Then pay those coaches exceedingly well as they prove their worth.

Turgeon was brought in for around $250,000 in 2000 after a string of lousy basketball. The Topekan and former Kansas point guard was wooed by Schaus and the fat wallet he carried with him, enough so that leaving Jacksonville State in Alabama was a no-brainer.

Turgeon’s success, which culminated with a Sweet 16 run in Wichita State’s first NCAA Tournament in 18 years in 2006, was generously rewarded as his pay spiked to $750,000 before he eventually left for even more money and a power conference to coach at Texas A&M.

Schaus, who watched Marshall coach at the same Greensboro NCAA first- and second-round site the Shockers were assigned in 2006, knew Marshall was the right guy to replace Turgeon. He also knew it was going to take a big-time offer.

Marshall signed a seven-year agreement at $750,000 per year, the same salary Turgeon was making when he left. Now Marshall is making more than four times that.

Because he’s good. And because he’ll likely keep Wichita State in a great place as long as he’s coaching here. For Wichita State, the comfort of being a perennial NCAA Tournament team is worth the price it takes to make that happen.

If the Shockers (14-5) make the tournament again this year, it will be their fifth straight. WSU had been to only eight NCAA Tournaments before this run.

The Shockers have won at least 30 games three years in a row and at least 25 six years in a row. Since Turgeon was hired, WSU has won 20 or more games nine times in 12 seasons after winning 20 or more seven times in the history of the program.

The rest of the Valley can’t see through the dust the Shockers have raised with a 97-19 conference record since 2009-10 and a 43-1 mark over the past three seasons.

Never, ever take this for granted, Shocker fans. It’s the best run in WSU basketball history.

The Shockers have put a foot on the rest of the Valley’s throats and they’re not letting up.

That Bradley has sunk to these depths is alarming, as troublesome as the Shockers’ troubles in the 1990s. Bradley has the same kind of basketball tradition as Wichita State and a fan base that comes as close in the Valley to replicating the zaniness of WSU supporters.

The Braves thought previous coach Geno Ford was the answer and paid him well. But Ford lasted only four seasons before a new athletic director, Chris Reynolds, went after Wardle, a former Marquette player who coached for five seasons at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Wardle talked about taking his lumps after Saturday’s games, but called himself a competitor who would ultimately make Bradley basketball successful again.

Perhaps he will. Perhaps he’s the Braves’ Turgeon or Marshall.

The Valley needs every good coach it can get to elevate from its current No. 13 ranking among college basketball conferences, according to RealTimeRPI.com. Going into Saturday’s games, WSU was the only one of the 10 MVC schools with an RPI (34) in the top 78. And only Evansville (79) is higher than 117 among the other nine teams.

Why would Wichita State look at other conference options after 70 years in the Valley? Because the MVC isn’t what it used to be, not even close. Too many schools are scuffling. Outside of Wichita State and perhaps Northern Iowa, nobody has been able to sustain success.

The Valley is stale and uninteresting and, yes, the Shockers’ strength has had a lot to do with that.

It’s tough to win. It’s really tough to keep up with Wichita State.

If you think this is going to change dramatically when WSU seniors Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker depart, think again. As VanVleet said Saturday, he doesn’t see this train slowing down. Not with Marshall as its engineer. And not with an administration and fan base that demands excellence.

This story was originally published January 23, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Bob Lutz: Bradley’s pains show Shocker fans what they’re thankful for."