The Wichita State Shockers men's basketball team is the NCAA Division I college basketball program representing Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.
The Shockers have made 16 appearances in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Final Four twice, the Elite Eight four times, and the Sweet Sixteen six times. The team plays its home games at Charles Koch Arena, where it averaged 10,391 fans per game in 2012, ranking 38th nationally.
The Shockers have made two Final Four appearances, losing both games. They made their first Final Four appearance in 1965 losing to UCLA 108âÂÂ89. They made their second appearance in 2013, losing to Louisville 72âÂÂ68.
In 2014, Wichita State defeated the Northern Iowa Panthers in the regular season finale for their 9th Missouri Valley conference regular season title, becoming two-time defending MVC champions. The Shockers completed a perfect, undefeated regular season and swept the conference post-season tournament en route to a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament where they lost to eventual national runner-up Kentucky in the round of 32.
The Shockers competed in the Missouri Valley Conference from 1949âÂÂ50 to 2016âÂÂ17 and have competed in the American Athletic Conference, now known as the American Conference, since the 2017âÂÂ18 season.
Wichita State, then known as Fairmount College, first took the court in 1906 under head coach Willis Bates. During this time, the sports teams were known as the "Wheatshockers". The first official game was held in the basement of Fairmount Hall. Fairmount lost to Washburn University by a score of 37âÂÂ10. During this inaugural season, the Wheatshockers only won two games.
Fairmount acquired a permanent home when Memorial Gymnasium was opened on January 15, 1921, in a game against the American Legion of Wichita. The gym was later renamed Henrion Gymnasium in 1926. That same year, the newly renamed Municipal University of Wichita (popularly known as "WU") joined the Central Conference in athletics.
WU gained notice outside of Wichita in 1927 when, led by First-Team All-American Ross McBurney and Second-Team All-American Harold Reynolds, the Wheatshockers finished the 1927 season with a 13âÂÂ1 record and a second-place finish behind conference champions Pittsburg State University.
Shocker basketball achieved greater success with the arrival of Coach Ralph Miller and Cleo Littleton in 1951. Littleton averaged 18.2 points per game as a freshman, a school record that still stands today. He was the first player west of the Mississippi to score 2,000 points in his college career and is one of only five Wichita State players to have his number retired. He was also one of the first African American players in the Missouri Valley Conference, which it joined in 1945. Littleton averaged 19 points per game during his career and he still owns 7 school records. Due to this success, Wichita State decided to construct a new home for the Shockers. Through appropriated money by the WU Board of Regents, Wichita State was able to construct a new field house for the men's basketball team, costing $1.4 million. On December 3, 1955, the Shockers played their first game in WU Field House in front of more than 9,000 fans.
Dave Stallworth entered the program in the 1961âÂÂ62 season. Nicknamed "The Rave", Stallworth became the Shockers' first consensus All-American in 1964. He finished with a career scoring average of 24.2 points per game and was second on the all-time scoring list with 1,936 points. During his 13-year stint at WSU, Ralph Miller became the winningest coach in Shocker basketball history, collecting 255 victories. Miller is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and currently ranks as the eighth-winningest coach in college basketball history.
The 1964âÂÂ65 seasonâÂÂthe first after Wichita joined the state university system as Wichita State UniversityâÂÂwas the greatest in Shocker history until the 2013âÂÂ14 season. On December 14, 1964, Gary Thompson led Wichita State to its first-ever No. 1 ranking. The 19âÂÂ7 Shockers won the MVC and earned a berth into the Midwest Regional. After defeating Southern Methodist and an Oklahoma State team led by Henry Iba, the Shockers headed to the Final Four in Portland. There, the Shockers were matched against the defending national champion UCLA Bruins, losing 108âÂÂ89. The Shockers played a third-place game against Princeton, losing 118âÂÂ82.
During this period, Warren Armstrong played for the Shockers and made major contributions throughout his career. During his sophomore season, Armstrong set two school records, averaging almost 12 rebounds a game while setting a Shocker single-game assist mark with 12. Armstrong became a three-time all-Valley performer from 1966 to 1968, and still holds four of WSU's 10 triple double games (double-figure points, rebounds, assist, or blocks). He would later enjoy a productive career in the ABA. Terry Benton became a key contributor during this era as well, setting a WSU record of 16.8 rebounds per game for his career, and finishing his Wichita State career with 1,003 points and 963 rebounds.
Wichita State went 97âÂÂ90 from 1971 to 1978 under Harry Miller. They had several notable players during those years including Rich Morsden, Bob Wilson, Robert Gray, Bob Trogele, Cheese Johnson, Cal Bruton and Robert Elmore. They made it to the NCAA tournament in 1976, winning the Missouri Valley Conference and losing by one point to eventual national runner up Michigan. The following year they beat eventual NCAA Champion Marquette in Al McGuire's final home game in Milwaukee.
In 1981, the Shockers would return to the NCAA tournament, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 66âÂÂ65 in the "Battle of New Orleans" before being defeated by LSU 96âÂÂ85 in the Elite Eight. The 1980âÂÂ81 team featured two future NBA players â Cliff Levingston and Antoine Carr, who would be chosen in the first 10 picks of the NBA draft. Carr, a local star from Wichita, would become WSU's third All-American in 1983, averaging 22.2 points a game during his senior season, and finishing his career with 1,911 points while shooting 55.7 percent. Levingston would average 15.7 and 18.5 points per game while leading the team in scoring his freshman and sophomore years, before declaring early for the NBA Draft.
Another future NBA player, Xavier McDaniel, would arrive the year after the Elite Eight season. McDaniel scored 2,152 points at Wichita State, second all-time behind Littleton, and set the school record with 1,359 rebounds. In 1984âÂÂ85, McDaniel became the first player in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring (27.2 points per game) and rebounding (14.8 per game) in the same season.
In 1982, Wichita State would be placed under NCAA probation for the 1982âÂÂ83 and 1983âÂÂ84 seasons, regarding improper actions of former assistant coaches in the late 1970s.
In nine seasons, Smithson won 155 games, placing him second in school history behind Ralph Miller. Smithson was the first coach to guide WSU to consecutive 20-win seasons. During the four-year span from 1980 to 1984, WSU produced a 92âÂÂ29 record, the best four-year span in team history at the time.
WSU hired Topeka, Kansas native Mark Turgeon as head coach on March 11, 2000. Turgeon guided the Shockers to a 9âÂÂ19 record during his first season. In Turgeon's second year Wichita State began its resurgence with a combination of several veterans and newcomers to compile a 15âÂÂ15 record in 2001âÂÂ02.
Helped by an 11âÂÂ3 record in Levitt Arena, WSU's overall record in the arena rose to 502âÂÂ185 since it opened during the 1955âÂÂ56 season. In the 2002âÂÂ03 season, the Shockers would improve to 18 wins, and then to 21 wins in the 2003âÂÂ04 season.
In 2004âÂÂ05, Wichita State continued to improve, reaching the third game of the NIT, and taking the Shockers to back-to-back-to-back postseason trips for the first time since 1987âÂÂ88âÂÂ89. WSU's 2004âÂÂ05 team went 22âÂÂ10 overall, finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference, and were ranked in the top 30 for nine weeks.
In 2005âÂÂ06, Turgeon lead WSU to its best season in over 20 years, reaching the Sweet 16 with victories over 10th seeded Seton Hall and shocking 2nd seeded Tennessee. In the Sweet 16, the Shockers would go on to lose to eventual Final Four participant George Mason.
In 2006âÂÂ07, the Shockers entered the season with high expectations, and surged out to a 9âÂÂ0 start, including a revenge-win over George Mason, as well as road victories over #6 LSU and #14 Syracuse. WSU rose as high as #8 in both the AP and Coaches' Polls on December 18, 2006, but the Shockers would struggle for much of the rest of the season, falling from the rankings and finishing 17âÂÂ14, including only eight conference wins, for Turgeon's second worst mark as WSU head coach.
Head Coach Mark Turgeon left Wichita State on April 10, 2007, after a seven-year run and a 128âÂÂ90 record, (at the time) the third winningest coach in Shocker history behind Ralph Miller and Gene Smithson. On April 14, 2007, Gregg Marshall was announced as 26th head men's basketball coach at Wichita State.
Gregg Marshall previously coached at Winthrop University for nine seasons. In his first season (2007âÂÂ08) the team finished with a record of 11âÂÂ20. In his second season they posted a 17âÂÂ17 record, complete with a run to the second round of the 2009 CBI Tournament where they lost to Stanford. The following season the Shockers went 25âÂÂ10, culminating with an NIT appearance. The invitation was due in large part to their strong 16âÂÂ1 home record. Their only loss at home that year was in the NIT against Nevada.
In the 2010âÂÂ11 season Wichita State improved once again to finish the season at 29âÂÂ8, finishing second in the Missouri Valley to Missouri State. The Shockers would go on to win the NIT championship as a 4 seed, defeating two #1 seeds, first Virginia Tech 79âÂÂ76, and then beating Alabama in the championship game 66âÂÂ57.
In the 2011âÂÂ12 season, they continued to improve under Marshall's guidance. In winning the regular season MVC title at 16âÂÂ2 (26âÂÂ4 overall), the Shockers reached a ranking of #14 in the coaches poll and #15 in the AP poll. After losing to Illinois State in the semi-finals of the MVC tourney in St. Louis, the Shockers were selected at large for the NCAA tournament as a 5 seed, their first NCAA Tournament in 6 years. They fell to VCU 62âÂÂ59, ending the season with a 27âÂÂ6 record.
Heading into the 2012âÂÂ2013 season, despite being the reigning regular-season champions, the Shockers were predicted to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Wichita State went into the season having lost five of the top six scorers from the previous season, including Joe Ragland, Toure' Murry, Garrett Stutz, Ben Smith, and David Kyles. Despite the losses, the Shockers went on to win their first 9 games, including the Cancún Challenge, as well as 15 of their first 16, and 19 of their first 21. Wichita struggled in conference-play, however, losing three in a row in late January and early February. Nevertheless, the Shockers would eventually play rival Creighton in the final game of the season for the outright conference championship, losing in Omaha.
In the 2012âÂÂ13 NCAA tournament, the Shockers upset top-seeded Gonzaga to move on to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2006, followed by a 72âÂÂ58 win over La Salle for their first Elite Eight appearance since 1981. They defeated Ohio State 70âÂÂ66 for their first Final Four appearance since 1965, as well as their 30th win of the season, a then-Wichita State record. In the Final Four, Wichita State was defeated by the #1 overall seed and eventual tournament champion Louisville, 72âÂÂ68 but that game was later vacated in 2018 by the NCAA.
The 2013âÂÂ14 season proved to be historic and possibly the greatest season in Shocker history. The Shockers cracked the top 10 at #2 in the nation in both major polls, for the first time since December 2006. It was the highest that the Shockers had been ranked that late in the season in school history. On February 25, with a win over Bradley, the Shockers became just the 11th Division I team to start the season 30âÂÂ0. They were also the first team to do so solely in the regular season, as the prior 10 teams reached that mark in the postseason. A week later, with a dominating 68âÂÂ45 win over Missouri State, the Shockers became the first Division I team to finish the regular season 31âÂÂ0. The Shockers ran the table with the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament, winning all three games by double digits. This was the first time Wichita State won the Valley Tournament since 1987. The Shockers received the #1 ranking in the Midwest Region of the 2014 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Wichita State blew out their first opponent, Cal Poly, to become the first team in the history of college basketball to advance to a record of 35âÂÂ0 (a mark matched by Kentucky in the 2014âÂÂ15 season). The Shockers season ended with an instant classic of a game with the Kentucky Wildcats on a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer. Their final record ended up being 35âÂÂ1.
After the 2019âÂÂ20 season, eight Shockers players entered the NCAA transfer portal, with seven eventually leaving the program. During this period, several former players alleged a pattern of physical and verbal abuse of players, leading to the university hiring a St. Louis-based law firm to conduct an independent investigation. Marshall resigned shortly before the 2020âÂÂ21 season, with Wichita State buying out his contract for $7.75 million over six years. Assistant coach Isaac Brown was named interim head coach for 2020âÂÂ21.
In Brown's first year, he took the Shockers to the NCAA Tournament but lost to Drake in the First Four. During the season, he was named full-time head coach. The following 2 seasons, the Shockers would finish 32âÂÂ28 and were not invited to any postseason tournament. This led to Wichita State firing Brown on March 11, 2023.
Wichita State hired Paul Mills on March 22, 2023.
When Wichita State became an AP Top 25 regular in the early 2010s, there came interest in reviving annual games against Kansas and Kansas State. In February 2013, Kansas state senator Michael O'Donnell introduced a bill requiring Kansas and Kansas State to schedule Wichita State, but the bill never passed. Kansas and Wichita State scheduled a game for the 2023âÂÂ24 season, their first regular season game since 1993. Wichita State last played Kansas in the 2015 NCAA tournament, a game they won 78âÂÂ65. Kansas leads the all-time series 12âÂÂ3. They last played Kansas State in the 2024âÂÂ25 season, a game which they won 84âÂÂ65. Kansas State leads the all-time series 20âÂÂ10.
Wichita State had an in-conference rivalry with Missouri State dating back to the 1941âÂÂ42 season (when Missouri State University was Southwest Missouri State Teacher's College). As of the 2016âÂÂ17 season, following a 15-game winning streak in the series, Wichita State leads the series 39âÂÂ30.
Wichita State's rivalry with Tulsa dates back to the 1930âÂÂ31 season. The two schools were in the Missouri Valley Conference from 1945 to 1996. Beginning in the 1996âÂÂ97 season, this series continued as an out-of-conference rivalry and has been most recently continuously played since the 2010âÂÂ11 season, after being played in the 1996âÂÂ97, 1997âÂÂ98, and 2000âÂÂ01 to 2004âÂÂ05 seasons. As of the end of the 2020âÂÂ21 season, Wichita State leads the series 72âÂÂ62 following 15 games since the series resumed in 2010. Tulsa ended WSU's 5-game winning streak with a buzzer-beating 3-point win in Tulsa in February 2020, but WSU has won three since then, two at home and one on the road, including a tight 4-point game.
Wichita State had an intense rivalry with the Creighton Bluejays during their time together in the Missouri Valley. Both squads were known as the cream of the crop in the MVC and went back and forth every year, trading the title of best team in the league. In all, the teams have played a total of 100 games against each other, with Creighton leading the overall series 55âÂÂ45.
The Shockers have played their home games at Charles Koch Arena, a 10,506 seat on-campus arena, since 1953. Originally known as the University of Wichita Field House, it was officially renamed Levitt Arena in 1969 for Henry Levitt, owner of Henry's, who sponsored a Wichita basketball team (known as the Henry Clothiers) that won three consecutive national Amateur Athletic Union titles in the 1930s. Due to its circular design, which gave nearly every fan a clear sight line and put the seats very close to the action, it was quickly nicknamed "The Roundhouse." Following a $6 million endowment from Charles G. Koch the arena underwent a $25 million renovation in 2002âÂÂ03, popularly known as the "Roundhouse Renaissance." The old arena concourse was completely demolished and a new one built around the original playing/seating area. A portion of the seating bowl was remodeled to make for more legroom. All new seating was installed as well as a video scoreboard, and virtually every surface that was not renovated was given a fresh coat of paint. The Shocker basketball teams played at the Kansas Coliseum for the 2002âÂÂ03 season while the arena was rebuilt. In 2012, the Shockers averaged 10,391 fans per game, ranking 38th nationally. In January 2013, ESPN's Jason King listed Koch Arena as the 7th best home court advantage in college basketball.
In addition to Koch Arena, the Shockers have played one game for each of the last eleven seasons (except 2020âÂÂ21) across town at the Intrust Bank Arena, the second largest indoor arena in the state of Kansas at 15,004 seats. Wichita State is 8âÂÂ3 (as of the 2020âÂÂ21 season) when playing at Intrust Bank Arena.
The Shockers have had 27 head coaches in program history. Of these, only 7 coached five or more seasons. They have had two different coaches take them to the Final Four and seven different coaches have taken them to the NCAA Tournament. Gregg Marshall is the all-time leader in wins, win percentage among coaches who have coached at least 25 games, tournament appearances, and tournament wins. Marshall also has just as many tournament appearances as every other coach in program history combined and is the longest-tenured head coach in program history having coached for 13 seasons.
The following Shockers represented their country in the Olympics. Both participants represented the United States.
The Shockers have appeared in 16 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 18âÂÂ17.
<small>*Following the introduction of the "First Four" round in 2011, the Round of 64 and Round of 32 were referred to as the second round and third round, respectively, from 2011 to 2015. Then from 2016 moving forward, the Round 64 and Round of 32 will be called the First and Second rounds, as they were prior to 2011.</small>
The Shockers have appeared in 15 National Invitation Tournaments. Their combined record is 13âÂÂ14. They were NIT champions in 2011.
The Shockers have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational. Their combined record is 1âÂÂ1.
As Wichita University, the Shockers made two appearances in the NAIA tournament. Their combined record is 0-2