For the first time since 1965, and only the second time in school history, the Wichita State Shockers (30-8) are headed to the Final Four. The Shockers won their school-record 30th game by defeating the second-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes, 70-66, and now they’ve got a shot to become the lowest-seeded team ever to win the NCAA Tournament. Ninth-seeded Wichita State stands as the only mid-major in the Final Four, and the road to the national championship game runs through the tournament’s top overall seed, Louisville Cardinals (33-5). Wichita State basketball fans can witness history live by purchasing Final Four tickets to see the squad play Louisville on April 6, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga.
Before taking out the Buckeyes, the Shockers’ Cinderella run saw them barrel through the Pittsburgh Panthers in the first round, Gonzaga Bulldogs in the round of 32, and La Salle Explorers in the Sweet Sixteen. Head coach Gregg Marshall’s squad has shown unyielding vigor to become the first Missouri Valley Conference team to cut down the nets en route to the Final Four since Larry Bird’s Indiana State squad in 1979, and they’ll need to keep up the effort to defeat Rick Pitino’s Cardinals. Louisville stormed through the first two rounds by a total of 57 points, beating No. 12 Oregon by eight in the Sweet Sixteen, and then crushed No. 2 Duke by 22 points in the Elite Eight. With a win, Wichita State would advance to the national championship game on April 8 to face the winner of the battle between the Michigan Wolverines (30-7) and Syracuse Orange (30-9).
