Wichita State

The Wichita State Shockers started their first Missouri Valley Conference series with a bang. They took Illinois State into 12 innings and finished them off with a walk-off double. The Shockers earned their first MVC win 4-3. Wichita State earned their first run right off the bat in the first inning. A sacrifice fly by redshirt senior Johnny Coy brought home freshman Tanner Dearman to put the Shockers on the scoreboard. The Redbird tied it up in the second inning at one. No response from Illinois State thanks to a Shocker double play and Wichita State carried the momentum in to the third inning.

Malcolm Armstead held onto the game ball all night. Everywhere he went following Wichita State's 70-66 win over Ohio State to advance to the Final Four, that ball never left his clutches. "I think this goes to the team," Armstead said when asked whether he would keep the ball for himself. "This isn't just for me, man. This is about the team. " Click here for photos from the game The Shockers built up and incredible lead against the Buckeyes, only to see it shrink to four points with a minute left and held on to win only their third Elite 8 game in school history, heading to the Final Four for the first time since 1965.

What a stage and an opportunity for Wichita State. Nationally televised game on neutral court for a huge prize. If that sounds like the MVC Tournament title game, you are right. I'd like to equate this stage of the Elite 8 in Staples Center in Los Angeles to the MVC Tourney in St. Louis, but I can't. This is the next step for Wichita State, this is the opportunity to be thrust even more into the spotlight of the national conversation and realize their dreams of basketball glory.

Black and yellow were the winning colors Saturday night in Los Angeles as Wichita State celebrated their Elite 8 win over Ohio State. But somewhere behind the scenes with the Shockers was a man wearing pink. Click here for game photos "I usually like to wear a little yellow but with this tie, I wore it on a black out night and ever since then I've just kept rolling with it," said Jason Malay.  29-year-old Malay is an assistant director of marketing with Wichita State and he has worn the same white shirt, black and pink tie and black suit combination for every game during the 2013 NCAA Tournament run. A superstition that he is holding himself to. "The suit and the shirt are the same from Salt Lake City, so I knew I had to wear it again," Malay said.

The Wichita State Shockers are headed to the Final Four.  The #9 ranked Shockers defeated #2 ranked Ohio State 70-66 Saturday night. This is the first Final Four appearance for the  Shockers in 48 years.  They last went in 1965 and lost to UCLA.  They will play again next Saturday in Atlanta.  They'll face either Duke or Louisville who play Sunday night. Click here for game photos The team will head back to Wichita Saturday night.  They are expected to arrive at Koch Arena at three o'clock Sunday morning.  A rally is not planned at this time because of the late hour.

For What it's Worth---March 29 -- “They just overwhelmed us” -- La Salle coach Dr. John Giannini on Wichita State Mismatch--- Gregg Marshall and his staff had a great game plan last night and their team executed it perfectly. La Salle's vaunted guards were shut down from the start and, for all intents and purposes, the game was over midway through the first half. As expected, or feared by LaSalle, the Shockers owned the paint and the glass - it was another impressive performance made even more so by the fact that it was expected.

"Freeze - somebody bring me back some money, please?!" - Jay-Z I just felt like writing that, still trying to work the context into this blog but give me some time and space and my warped mind will work wonders. So the Shockers are into the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1981. Read that sentence again, I'll wait..... Wichita State owned La Salle. They did. And I thought La Salle was legit, I did. Wondered if it was a fluke when they beat K-State but then they backed it up by beating Ole Miss to win the Kansas City Regional.  But against Wichita State, it wasn't even close.

The celebration was muted in the Shocker locker room. A couple high fives, some fist bumps and a bunch of cheers but no champagne or birthday cake for Wichita State. After a 72-58 win over La Salle in the Sweet 16, all the players and coaches could think about was how much of a grind it's been. Click here for photos from the game "Once it's over, if we happen to lose or if we win and getting to Atlanta, then the two polar opposite feelings; number one, losing.

For What it's Worth--- Any time I step on a plane for Southern California I'm always amazed at the wide array of plastic surgery. I'm convinced Californians go to their doctor like the rest of us go to the grocery. That so much of it is bad doesn't seem to deter them in the slightest, it makes you wonder what they see when they look in the mirror. California dreaming--- The last time that the Shockers played in California was a couple of years ago when they lost at San Diego State.

If you don't have a permit, don't even think about working in California. As we have found by doing our work and other stuff, permits are a must for working in Los Angeles. We've been moved and shooed and told to go away more times than I can remember since we've been here. We were told to stand across an imaginary line at the team hotel downtown. Simply put, we are not in Kansas anymore. Media offerings have been easy - the Shockers are a ready made team for that, especially in the second biggest media market in the country.