Wichita State Basketball: 3 reasons the Shockers will make the Final Four
3. A passable road through the region
No road to the Final Four is easy, so to speak. Each set of games presents its own set of challenges as teams typically face opponents they haven’t seen yet.
That being said, the Shockers shouldn’t be too mad about their road to the Final Four.
They start off against Marshall on Friday afternoon. The Thundering Herd only made the Big Dance by winning the Conference USA Tournament. That’s not to say they’re a bad team, but their high-caliber offense is wrecked by their low-caliber defense; Wichita State can exploit that.
Next up would be either West Virginia or Murray State. While the Mountaineers’ defensive reputation precedes itself, it actually hasn’t been as effective as usual this year, giving up 69 points per game.
The Shockers would likely have to face No. 1 seed Villanova in the Sweet 16. That would cause some problems for Wichita State; they would need to play at their best and hope for an off night from the Wildcats.
After that, however, the Shockers would likely be favorites against almost any team in the Elite Eight outside of Purdue. The Boilermakers distribute the ball well, just like Wichita State, but struggle on the boards despite their imposing size. Wichita State could take advantage of that.
The Shockers might only be a No. 4 seed this season, but the Final Four is well within Wichita State’s reach.