Little Brother No More: Wichita State Sends Kansas Packing in Long-Awaited Duel

OMAHA, Neb. — A timeout had been called, but Fred VanVleet wouldn't let any of his teammates near the Wichita State bench.

Not yet.

In one of the most anticipated games in the history of the state, the Shockers had an eight-point lead on the No. 2 seed Kansas with just under five minutes remaining. VanVleet, Wichita State's point guard, wanted to make sure no one lost focus against the college basketball blue blood making its 26th straight NCAA tournament appearance, the school just two hours down the road that had refused to play the Shockers for more than 20 years.

VanVleet summoned the Shockers to the NCAA logo at center court and got them into a huddle.

"Don't let up," he barked. "We haven't won yet. We're not going to celebrate until there are zeroes on the clock."

It was a revealing moment, to be sure, a show of togetherness and unity that illustrated beautifully why Wichita State, at least for now, has surpassed Kansas as the No. 1 program in the Sunflower State—and why the No. 7 seed Shockers are headed to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years after a 78-65 thrashing of a school that had long been viewed as their "big brother."

"The best teams win in the NCAA tournament," VanVleet said. "Not the best players."

That was obvious Sunday, when Wichita State's chemistry and poise trumped Kansas' athleticism and talent in a game that nearly got out of hand in the second half. The Shockers led by as many as 16 points and shot 59.3 percent after intermission, but it was their toughness—both mental and physical—that made the biggest difference down the stretch against a Jayhawks squad that prides itself on those same principles.

"They wanted it more," Kansas forward Landen Lucas said. "It shows in the hustle plays, the small things. The team that wants it more gets the loose balls, they get the extra possessions. They did those things, especially when it mattered. And we didn't."

What happened Sunday probably shouldn't come as a surprise.

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Wichita State, after all, features three players (VanVleet, Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton) who were in the seven-man rotation of a squad that reached the 2013 Final Four. The trio, along with forward Darius Carter, helped key a 35-1 season a year ago, and this year they led the Shockers to a second straight Missouri Valley Conference title.   

Gregg Marshall's squad is 65-5 the past two seasons.

"We can beat anyone in the country when we play well," Marshall said.

No one could argue that Sunday, when Wichita State made some of Kansas' biggest stars seem ordinary and, in some cases, helpless:

• Freshman Kelly Oubre, who is projected to be a lottery pick in this summer's NBA draft, scored just nine points and missed six of his nine shots before fouling out.
• Lucas, who at 6'10" was several inches taller than anyone in Wichita State's rotation, scored just two points.
• Point guard Frank Mason was pestered into five turnovers and also fouled out. His replacement, freshman Devonte Graham, finished with 17 points.

"When your best player in a game to go to the Sweet 16 is a freshman guard off the bench, it usually doesn't mean good things," Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.

In what was easily the most lopsided matchup of the night, Kansas small forward Wayne Selden—a McDonald's All-American who was once projected as a first-round draft pick—went scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting. The Wichita State player guarding him, Cotton, had a game-high 19 points.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

"That's Wichita State," VanVleet said. "At the end of the day, when that ball is tipped up, it doesn't matter if you're a McDonald's All-American or a NBA draft pick or whoever. This is college. You ain't no draft pick yet. You've got to earn your keep.

"Tekele is a senior. He took charge in the second half and played his ass off."

Wichita State, which will play No. 3 seed Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 Thursday in Cleveland, led 29-26 at the half thanks to a 13-2 run that was highlighted by three-pointers from Evan Wessel, Baker and VanVleet.

The Shockers led by double digits most of the second half in large part because of their defense, which held Kansas to just one field goal during a seven-minute, 22-second stretch that all but decided the contest.

The Jayhawks—who played the nation's No. 1-ranked schedule—had nothing but respect for Wichita State after the game.

"They're not a No. 7 seed," Oubre said. "They're a 3 or a 4. They were a great team, one of the best teams we played all year, veteran guys who know how to chip away and never give up."

Played before a near-sellout crowd of 17,563 at the CenturyLink Center, Sunday's game couldn't have been played in a more intense, energetic atmosphere. The contest is one that fans across the state had been yearning after for years but especially recently since Wichita State has become a national power.

Nati Harnik/Associated Press/Associated Press

Kansas and Wichita State used to play each other regularly but hadn't met since 1993. The Jayhawks have refused to play the Shockers during the regular season, with the thought being that Kansas would have nothing to gain from such a meeting.

If the Jayhawks beat Wichita State…well, they're supposed to win that game.

But if they lose, vicious criticism would surely follow. Kansas guard Brannen Greene feared that would be the case after Sunday's loss.

"It's a sad and disappointing thing—the worst nightmare for our fans and our program," Greene said. "We let ourselves down. They played better than us."

Uplifting as it was to their fans, most of the Shockers said beating Kansas wasn't a bigger deal than winning against any other team. Players such as VanVleet, Cotton and Carter didn't grow up in Kansas and don't have any feelings, good or bad, toward the Jayhawks. Marshall, the coach, doesn't have any history with the state either.

But for native Kansans such as Wessel (12 points) and Baker (12), the victory will always be one of the highlights of their careers.

A walk-on from the one-stoplight town of Scott City, Kansas, Baker grew up dreaming of playing for the Jayhawks. When Kansas lost to Syracuse in the 2003 NCAA title game, Baker was so angry that he blurted out a few curse words, prompting his mother to wash his mouth out with soap.

That's why it was no surprise when Baker screamed and flexed and pumped his fists with emotion after the final horn Sunday.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

"This was a game I dreamed about," Baker said, "but I dreamed about being on the other bench. To be able to win this type of game against that type of opponent...I just had to let loose my emotions and slap myself across the face (to remind myself) that this is reality and we actually won.

"I was speechless. You kind of pinch yourself to make sure it's real. It's something we'll cherish for a lifetime."

Baker and his teammates hope to make even more memories Thursday in the Sweet 16. A victory over the Irish would likely catapult them into an Elite Eight showdown against No. 1-ranked and undefeated Kentucky. The Wildcats handed Wichita State its only loss last season in a 78-76 thriller in the round of 32.

Marshall said preparations for those opponents would begin soon enough. As he left the CenturyLink Center late Sunday night, Marshall wanted to make sure his players spent the evening relishing an accomplishment that will be talked about across the state of Kansas for decades to come: Wichita State, a school from a non-BCS conference without a football team, thumping a big-budget, in-state foe that boasts one of the top traditions in college basketball history.

"We're going to enjoy this plane ride home," Marshall said.

The coach smirked.

"Actually," he said, "I'm not even sure we'll need a plane to fly home. But we're going to get back and enjoy this victory. I'm pretty sure Wichita is on fire right now."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.