NCAA Basketball: Every Missouri Valley team’s most successful season since 2000

Wichita State Shockers

Year: 2012-13

Record: 30-9 (12-6)

NCAA Tournament Results: 9 Seed- Advanced to the Final Four

-Defeated (8) Pittsburgh 73-55, (1) Gonzaga 76-70, (13) La Salle 72-58, and (2) Ohio State 70-66. Lost to (1) Louisville 72-68.

Head Coach: Gregg Marshall

Notable Players:

Cleanthony Early 6’8” JR (13.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG):

-The 2013 MVC Newcomer of the Year and 1st-Team Selection would be drafted by the Knicks with the 34th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Carl Hall 6’8” SR (12.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG):

-2013 MVC 2nd-Team Selection.

Ron Baker 6’4” FR (8.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG):

-The 6’4″ guard would go on to become a 3x MVC 1st-Team Selection and a 2016 undrafted free agent that would sign with the New York Knicks.

Fred VanVleet 6’0” FR (4.3 PPG, 2.3 APG):

-The eventual 2x MVC Player of the Year would move on to the NBA and become an All-Star with the Toronto Raptors.

Season Summary:

During the 2012-13 season that began with a fabulous 19-2 start, Wichita State would finish just 7-6 and lose in the Missouri Valley final before entering the NCAA Tournament as a 9 seed. Just like the school’s name entitles, they would proceed to ‘shock’ the world during the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Led by three future NBA players, Wichita State would upset the top two seeds in their region; Gonzaga and Ohio State, on their way to an unthinkable Final Four appearance.

Ending the season with 30 wins for just the second time in the Shockers history, and returning to the Final Four for the first time since 1965, this team will forever go down for one of the most memorable runs created in Missouri Valley history.

Another Season Worth Honorable Mention: The following season, the Shockers would absolutely dominate to the tune of an undefeated regular season, becoming the first team since the 1991 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels to accomplish that feat. The committee did no favors for the 34-0 Shockers by placing the 8th seeded Kentucky Wildcats, with seven future NBA players, in the same region.

Wichita State was sent home after a 35-1 season, and who knows how far they could have advanced if given a more favorable road. The 2013-14 Shockers were the best team in school history, but it’s hard to argue with a Final Four run taking the top spot.