Wichita State vs Gonzaga - 7:40pm TNT

[wusphlash]

Respect to the Valley. Not enough respect. We are glad to carry the torch.

[SHOXMVC]

I don't know the recruiting story but it's hard to believe KU and KSU didn't go after Baker.

They offered him a walk on opportunity.

[Ace Dad]

I don't know the recruiting story but it's hard to believe KU and KSU didn't go after Baker.

He didn't play AAU ball. KState wanted him to walk on. LOL

There are several stories where D1 coaches would not risk a scholarship on a high school player (typically guards and forwards) because they did not see him play AAU basketball. Coaches are all into rankings and they want to see the player play against top competition.

Kansas high school basketball is "ok", but it does not have the reputation that other areas have. Kansas also historically has been too restrictive about allowing high school coaches to work with their players (rules have been relaxed). Last, getting a state championship in Kansas is not as difficult when compared to some other states. My older son's high school team won the state championship for the "big class" in 2000 and they only had to win 5 (or 6?) games to get there: sub state 1, sub state 2, quarterfinal, semi final, and finals. My younger son's high school team in Virginia's big class had to play 8 (or 9?) games to win the championship (they were the runner up): districts 1, districts 2, regional 1, regional 2, regional 3, state quarters, state semis, and state finals.

The first question the visiting coach asks is "who has offered a D1 scholarship", which tells me they do not trust their own instincts.

[denjayfan1]

Obviously I'm very happy for WSU and The Valley that WSU won but I can't help feeling a little bad for Gonzaga. As the poster child for what a non BCS powerhouse should look like, it seems like time and again they fail to reach expectations. It must be incredibly frustrating to have such talent and struggle in the NCAA tournament.

[Trifecta]

Hard to go from the hunter to the hunted...

Great game by the Shox! Congrats!

[glm38]

Obviously I'm very happy for WSU and The Valley that WSU won but I can't help feeling a little bad for Gonzaga. As the poster child for what a non BCS powerhouse should look like, it seems like time and again they fail to reach expectations. It must be incredibly frustrating to have such talent and struggle in the NCAA tournament.

Totally agree. Glad the Shox won but.....

[Ace Dad]

Obviously I'm very happy for WSU and The Valley that WSU won but I can't help feeling a little bad for Gonzaga. As the poster child for what a non BCS powerhouse should look like, it seems like time and again they fail to reach expectations. It must be incredibly frustrating to have such talent and struggle in the NCAA tournament.

Could it be they are overrated year in and year out?

Could it be there is parity in college basketball (Florida Gulf Coast?)

[purple&orange]

Obviously I'm very happy for WSU and The Valley that WSU won but I can't help feeling a little bad for Gonzaga. As the poster child for what a non BCS powerhouse should look like, it seems like time and again they fail to reach expectations. It must be incredibly frustrating to have such talent and struggle in the NCAA tournament.

Totally agree. Glad the Shox won but.....

They've had a couple tough losses over the years when they were the underdog. I remember a game out in Salt Lake vs #1 Arizona that was a great effort on their part. The meltdown vs UCLA when Morrison ended up crying also comes to mind. They were sort of the ulimate upstart, coming from nowhere and getting to the Elite Eight back in 99.......the runner game.

Basketball is a funny game sometimes. Van Fleet hit a huge 3 with the shot clock running down after the Zags played really good D on that possession to push it to 5. Over the course of a game you'll play great D and give up a bucket and miss an assignment but get bailed out because of a missed shot. With less than 90 seconds left, being down 5 vs 2 is huge and give WSU all the credit.

The Zags can play but in any one and done situation, anything can and does happen and they've beaten themselves on occasion and others just had the misfortune of running into a good team who played really well and just barely squeaked past them.

In any tournament situation you don't have to be the better team to advance, just the better team for that particular 40 minutes in time and with AAU becoming more and more prevalent there isn't that wow factor that the name on a jersey once had. It is a much more even playing field than ever before as so many school are investing in the greatest PR piece there is for a university, their men's basketball program that makes the NCAA Tournament.

[Aargh]

Before Baker got hurt, I started a (somewhat arrogant) thread about Baker and VanVleet and how fans in the league were going to be real tired of those guys by the time they were Sr's.

When the game to get to the S16 and to beat the #1 team in the nation came down to crunch time, the Shox went to their Fr.

I can't claim this was a better win than UNI's W over KU a couple years ago. I think a Valley team has knocked out a #1 seed 2 of the last 3 years.

I think Marquette has to go something like 3-1 for the current Big East to have a better W/L % in the NCAA's than the Valley - even if neither CU or WSU wins another game. I'm certain CU is moving to a conference with more money, but not convinced that conference has better basketball.

[usmcsaluki]

Before Baker got hurt, I started a (somewhat arrogant) thread about Baker and VanVleet and how fans in the league were going to be real tired of those guys by the time they were Sr's.

When the game to get to the S16 and to beat the #1 team in the nation came down to crunch time, the Shox went to their Fr.

I can't claim this was a better win than UNI's W over KU a couple years ago. I think a Valley team has knocked out a #1 seed 2 of the last 3 years.

I think Marquette has to go something like 3-1 for the current Big East to have a better W/L % in the NCAA's than the Valley - even if neither CU or WSU wins another game. I'm certain CU is moving to a conference with more money, but not convinced that conference has better basketball.

I was thinking that during the game as well; Baker will be a load in the Valley the next few years. Van Fleet had one heckuva monster 3 to give you guys some more breathing room. I know he had a quiet year, but he will be a player as well. This game had to be a huge confidence boost to his game.