The Big Dance

We made it. After 18 long years, WSU is invited to play in the NCAA tournament. I can't tell you how happy I am to be a Shocker! Selection Sunday has never been more fun. Go Shox!
Here's an article.
Shockers eye Seton Hall
Celebration of bid ends as WSU prepares for Big East's seventh-place team.
BY PAUL SUELLENTROP
The Wichita Eagle
In 1988, Wichita State basketball players Paul Guffrovich, John Cooper, Aaron Davis and Steve Grayer watched the NCAA selection show in their dorm room. When Wichita State appeared on the screen, they bounced around and high-fived each other.

It's been 18 years, but celebrating a spot in the NCAA Tournament doesn't change much. The Shockers ended that drought Sunday when Wichita State popped up on the bracket as a No. 7 seed, matched against No. 10 Seton Hall at 11:20 a.m. on Thursday.

"A lot of high fives and hugs and a lot of back-slapping going on," WSU senior Paul Miller said.

The Shockers gathered Sunday at coach Mark Turgeon's house and ate tacos, fixed by the wives of coaches, before the selection show.

"We had a nice dinner," senior Cameron Ledford said. "Then everything got quiet as we watched the brackets be unveiled. For the most part we were pretty calm."

Ledford said the players jumped up when WSU hit the bracket, then quickly tried to regain composure to hear the opponent. Not that it mattered much -- WSU was in and the Shockers could check that dream off their lists.

"A lot of us have watched that show since we were little boys," Ledford said.

That should be about all the feel-good stuff allowed. WSU (24-8) quickly turned its thoughts to Seton Hall (18-11), the seventh-place team in the 16-school Big East. Turgeon said he's been gathering films of almost every possible NCAA opponent since the Shockers defeated Creighton on Feb. 14.

"I felt like the night Matt (Braeuer) hit the shot against Creighton that we were going to be in the NCAA Tournament and we were going to win the league," Turgeon said. "I told our staff, 'Get the VCRs going, tape every game you can.' "

His coaching staff ended up with one Seton Hall game -- last week's 61-48 loss to Rutgers in the Big East Tournament. He said coaches would watch the tape Sunday night. WSU will end up with three or four Pirates games to study, and Turgeon said he will talk to former assistant Jean Prioleau, now at Marquette of the Big East.

The Pirates, most recently in the NCAA Tournament in 2004, own victories over North Carolina State, Syracuse, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. They dropped games to Duke, Richmond, Northwestern and lost two of three to Rutgers.

Seton Hall closed the regular season by losing three straight, then defeating Cincinnati and winning at Pitt.

Seton Hall guard Donald Copeland and forward Kelly Whitney were named to the 10-man All-Big East second team. Copeland averages 16.1 points; Whitney 15.1 and 8.0 rebounds.

"Very athletic," Turgeon said. "Looking at their stats, they were really good defensively. They were a very good rebounding team, so they sound like us a little bit. I just imagine they're a little taller and they can jump a little higher than we do."

The Shockers left the MVC Tournament with a 60-52 loss to Bradley on March 4. They practiced last week not knowing their next opponent. They can switch their focus to Seton Hall today. The Shockers, with the possible exception of P.J. Couisnard and his sprained left ankle, are healthy and should be rested for Thursday's game in Greensboro, N.C.

"We're definitely motivated, and I think that's shown in the last week of practice," Miller said. "We've really gotten after it and practices have been real competitive."

The Shockers don't want to be satisfied with their first appearance since 1988. As the higher seed, and the MVC's champion, there will be expectations on the Shockers.

"We're a hungry team," Miller said. "We're coming off a loss, so we've got that sitting in the back of our minds."

Ledford said the excitement of the NCAA Tournament won't distract the Shockers from preparing for the game.

"One of our goals at the beginning of the year was to win the next game," he said. "That doesn't matter if it's preseason exhibition games or Missouri Valley Conference games or tournament games. We're going out to win the next game."