(St. Louis, MO) – Wichita State has advanced in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year. Tuesday night the Shockers destroyed Vanderbilt over the final 8:38 of the game, and reached the field of 64 with a 70 to 50 win over the Commodores.
Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet tied for the team lead with 14 points, but it was the typical Shocker defense that changed the game. WSU allowed 20 second half points and only two points the final 8:38 as the Shockers (25-8) out rebounded the taller Commodores, turned them over and forced them into a 24% second half shooting disaster.
Fred VanVleet – goshockers.com
The Shockers made no three-pointers in the first half, but dropped seven bombs in the second half, turning a 30 to 30 tie at the half into a 20 point victory.
VanVleet was bloodied in the first half when an errant elbow clipped him along his right eyebrow, but the Missouri Valley Conference’s Player of the Year soldiered on and handed out seven assists while losing just one turn over. Baker led the team with nine rebounds.
Head Coach Gregg Marshall’s team has now won at least 25 games for seven straight years and they move on to the ‘First Round’ of the national tournament. A difficult opponent awaits. Sixth seeded Arizona (25-8) and all-American Ryan Andersson will be a difficult Thursday night foe. Wichita has won seven of their last eight games. Arizona has split their last six.
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I commented on @TVBOren's post about @CarsonSchwieger's signing with @ValpoBasketball, but this is a significant signing for @RogerPowellJr. The Schwieger's will complement each other well and with the other guys they have, this Beacons team will be players in the @ValleyHoops
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