INDIANAPOLIS -- Missouri Valley Conference champion Wichita State (31-4, 17-1) meets SEC champ Kentucky (30-5, 16-2), Sunday afternoon in Second Round South Regional action at 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.
 
Tipoff from Indianapolis, Ind. is scheduled for approximately 2:40 p.m. ET (1:40 p.m. CT) on CBS, with the crew of Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. Fans can watch live streaming through March Madness Live at NCAA.com.
 
On radio, Mike Kennedy – now in 37th year as Voice of the Shockers – calls his 1,211^th consecutive game on KEYN 103.7 FM in Wichita. He's joined by analysts Dave Dahl and Bob Hull.
 
Chris Carrino & Jim Jackson describe the action at all six First and Second Round games from Indianapolis for Westwood One Radio on Sirius channel 134, XM channel 201, with online stream available at March Madness Live or westwoodonesports.com/Indianapolis.
 
In Friday's First Round, WSU defeated No. 7 seed Dayton, 64-58. Landry Shamet scored a team-high 13 points to go with 12 from Zach Brown and 10 from Shaquille Morris. Rashard Kelly paired eight points with a career-high 11 rebounds, and the Shocker defense held Dayton to just 31%.


 

MARCH MADNESS - SOUTH REGION

No. 2 Kentucky (30-5)  No. 10 Wichita State (31-4)

Sunday, March 19

1:40 PM CT/2:40 PM ET

Indianapolis, Ind.

Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Tournament Central

Game Notes: WSU | UK

COVERAGE

CBS

Jim Nantz, Grant Hill & Bill Raftery

March Madness Live

KEYN 103.7 FM

Westwood One (Sirius 134, XM 201)

Listen

Live Stats

SOCIAL

@GoShockersLIVE | #watchus

@goshockers | #watchus

Go Shockers

SHOCKERS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT

NCAA Tournament Appearances: 14

Record in NCAA Tournament: 18-14

Record as No. 10 Seed: 1-0

Series vs. Kentucky: UK Leads 1-0

AT A GLANCE

Stat Comparison WSU UK PPG 81.5 85.7 FG% .472 .476 3-PT FG% .405 .349 FT% .734 .703 RPG 41.0 40.3 APG 16.4 15.4 TPG 11.3 12.0 SPG 6.7 6.0

STARTING FIVE:
 
1 ----- A 30-FOR-30: This is only the second time in NCAA Tournament history that two 30-win teams have gone head-to-head in the first weekend. On March 24, 2008, No. 2 seed Tennessee (30-4) survived No. 7 Butler (30-3) 76-71 in overtime in the Round of 32.
 
2 ----- PRODUCING A SEQUAL: Wichita State and Kentucky have met just one other time on the hardwood. An undefeated Shocker team fell 78-76 to No. 8 seed Kentucky in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. The second round win sparked the Wildcats to a National Runner-Up finish, and Sports Illustrated later named it "Game of the Year."
 
3 ----- COUNTING THE SECONDS: Wichita State has advanced to the second round in five consecutive tournaments -- tied with Oregon for the fourth-longest active streak in college basketball. Only Kansas (11), Gonzaga (9) and North Carolina (7) have made more consecutive trips to the Round of 32.
 
4 ----- ON A ROLL: With first round losses by SMU, Princeton and Vermont, the Shockers (16-straight wins) and Kentucky (12-straight) now own the nation's longest active winning streaks... Wichita State's 16-game string is the second-longest in school history, trailing only the 2013-14 team's 35-game run (which was ended by Kentucky). The Shockers' last defeat came over two months ago (Jan. 14 at Illinois State). They've won 22-of-23 since Dec. 22.
 
5 ----- ONE FOR ALL-TIME: A Sunday victory would make Wichita State the winningest program in Missouri Valley Conference history. In its 72 seasons as a member, WSU has won 1,202 games. That total ties with charter member Drake, which owns 1,202 victories in 105 seasons.
 
BONUS BULLETS:
*The Shockers are in search of their third Sweet 16 trip in the last five seasons.
*Wichita State is 3-0 all-time against No. 2 seeds, defeating Tennessee (2006) and Kansas (2015) as a No. 7 seed in the Round of 32. In 2013, WSU knocked off Ohio State in the Elite Eight. 
*Since the NCAA began seeding the tournament in 1978, Shocker teams are a remarkable 9-7 as the underdog.
 
THE SHOCKS, IN SHORT:
Despite graduating two NBA guards in Ron Baker (Knicks) and Fred VanVleet (Raptors), Wichita State's "rebuilding year" has far exceeded expectations. The Shockers...
... Reached 30-wins for the fourth time in five seasons.
... Claimed a fourth-straight MVC regular season title.
... Won the MVC Tournament for only the second time since 1987.
... Clinched their sixth-straight NCAA Tournament bid.
 
THE COACH:
*Gregg Marshall is Wichita State's all-time wins leader (261-89 in 10 seasons). He needs just 45 more victories to reach 500 for his career.
*Marshall is 8-4 against the SEC as Shocker head coach (3-0 vs. LSU, 3-2 vs. Alabama, 1-0 vs. Vanderbilt, 1-1 vs. Tennessee and 0-1 vs. Kentucky).
*Marshall is 0-2 lifetime against Kentucky. In addition to WSU's 2014 NCAA Tournament loss, he suffered a 65-44 setback with his Winthrop squad in a November, 2003 visit to Rupp Arena.
 
NEW TRICK:
*Marshall teams traditionally defend, rebound, protect the basketball and play with great intensity, but the 2017 version can score it, too. This is, by far, Marshall's best offensive team, averaging 10 points per game more than last year's group (82.1).
*Last year's Achille's Heel has become a strength. During the regular season, the Shockers ranked fourth nationally in 3-point percentage (.408, up from .324 a year ago).
*WSU also ranked in the regular season top-10 in scoring margin (2^nd, 19.6), field goal percentage defense (5^th, .378), rebound margin (5^th, 8.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (10^th, 1.49).
 
WICHITA STATE TOURNEY TIDBITS:
*Wichita State's 14^th NCAA Tournament appearance ties Creighton's Missouri Valley Conference record.
*WSU's six-consecutive bids are also tied for the most in MVC history with Southern Illinois (2002-07) and Cincinnati (1958-63).
*Prior to 2012, the Shockers had only managed back-to-back appearances on two other occasions (1964/65 and 1987/88).
*The Shockers are 18-14 all-time in NCAA Tournament play play, with six Regional Semifinals (1964, 65, 81, 06, 13, 15), four Regional Finals (1964, 65, 81, 13) and two Final Fours (1965, 2013).
*This is the 27^th overall postseason appearance for Wichita State (14 NCAAs, 12 NIT's, 1 CBI), which won the 2011 NIT to kick off its current run of postseason success.
*Wichita State is prepping for its 33^rd NCAA Tournament game. Notably, 16 of those contests have come within the past six years.
 
SECOND ROUND FOCUS:
*Since 1978, when the tournament began seeding teams, WSU has advanced to the Round-of-32 seven times (1981, 2006, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17), with four of the six previous trips extending into Sweet 16 runs (1981, 2006, 13, 15).
*Wichita State has never been a No. 10 seed, though the Shockers have had some success from the 7-10 track. As a No. 7, they're 2-0 against No. 2 seed, bouncing Tennessee (2006) and Kansas (2015).
 
LOOKING BACK ON 2014:
*No. 8 Kentucky defeated No. 1 Wichita State in the 2014 Second Round, 78-76, in a game that featured threes ties and 14 lead changes.
*The 2014 Shockers were the first team to take an unbeaten record into an NCAA Tournament since 1991 UNLV. A first round win over No. 16 Cal Poly made them the first team in NCAA history to reach 35-0.
*Just two current Shockers were active for that game (walk-on seniors Zach Bush and John Robert Simon). A third, Shaquille Morris, was on the bench as a redshirt.
*All 17 players (on both sides) who saw time in that game have moved on. Eight of them went on to appear on NBA regular season rosters (5 Kentucky, 3 Wichita State).
*Wichita State senior Cleanthony Early was taken with the fourth pick of the second round in the 2014 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. He lasted two seasons with the club.
*Sophomores Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet went undrafted in 2016, but both made NBA rosters out training camp and eventually secured guaranteed contracts.
*Baker has appeared in 39 games with four starts for the Knicks as their backup point guard, averaging just over 12 minutes per game.
*VanVleet has played in 28 games for the Raptors, who entered the weekend at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference pecking order.
*A potential Elite Eight rematch loomed in the spring of 2015 when both teams advanced to the Midwest Regional semifinals. Kentucky -- which was working on an undefeated season of its own -- took down West Virginia, but the Shockers fell to Notre Dame.
 
BANKERS LIFE FIELDHOUSE 
*Completed in November, 1999, Bankers Life Fieldhouse (formerly Conseco Fieldhouse) seats just under 18,000 for basketball and serves as home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers and the WNBA's Indiana Fever.
*Bankers Life Fieldhouse has played host to the NBA Finals (2000), WNBA Finals (2009, 12, 15), the NCAA Women's Final Four (2011, 16) and several other top flight neutral court college games. It's also annual host of the IHSAA boys and girls state finals.
*This is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's 11th time in Indianapolis but its first at BLF. Previous sites in Indianapolis included Market Square Arena, the RCA Dome and Lucas Oil Stadium.
 
SHOCKERS IN THE HOOSIER STATE:
*Shockers teams are 35-32 all-time in Indiana.
*WSU has never played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but did make a December, 1989 appearance at its predecessor, Market Square Arena. The Shockers split two games at the Hoosier Classic, falling 75-54 to No. 10 Indiana before claiming a 75-59 victory over Loyola Chicago).
*Under Eddie Fogler, WSU lost twice at Purdue in December, 1986 and December, 1988.
*In 1988, the 12th-seeded Shockers lost No. 5 seed DePaul in NCAA First Round action in South Bend, Ind.
*WSU makes annual trips to Indiana to face conference foes Evansville and Indiana State. The Shockers are 22-18 all-time in Terre Haute and 12-10 in Evansville. They've won 10-straight in the Hoosier state since 2013.
 
SHOCKERS vs. AP NATIONALLY-RANKED TEAMS:
*Wichita State is 54-129 all-time against teams ranked in the AP Poll, including 6-23 on neutral courts.
*WSU is 0-2 against top-25 teams this year, falling on back-to-back days in the Bahamas to No. 10 Louisville and No. 24 Michigan State at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
*All-time, the Shockers are 7-7 against ranked teams in NCAA Tournament play. In 2016, WSU took down No. 17 Arizona 65-55 but lost two days later against No. 10 Miami in the Round of 32.
*Gregg Marshall is 12-14 against top-25 teams as Shocker head coach with an impressive 5-3 record in NCAA Tournament play.
*WSU's last win over a top-10 team came March 22, 2015 when the 12th-ranked Shockers downed No. 10 Kansas in the second round. 
*The program is 21-63 all-time against top-10 foes.
*Marshall is a solid 4-5 against top-10 teams at WSU.
*A ranked WSU team has met a ranked opponent just 22 times in school history. The Shockers are an even 11-11 in those games.
 
RANDOM KNOWLEDGE:
*Wichita State's 2,854 points is the third-highest season total in Missouri Valley Conference history. The Shockers need 15 more points to pass Hersey Hawkins' 1987 Bradley Braves (2,868) for second-place on the list, and 99 points to supplant Larry Bird and the 1979 Indiana State Sycamores (2,952).
*Shamet has hit a three-pointer in 24 consecutive games, and teammate Conner Frankamp has connected in each of the last 21. Those are the third and fourth longest streaks in school history. Ron Baker logged each of the top-2 on the list at 25 and 27.
*Shamet's 70 three-pointers is a Shocker freshman record and one of the five-highest totals ever record by a Missouri Valley Conference frosh.
*Shamet is the first freshman in Shocker history to start 35 games in a season, breaking Toure' Murry's mark (34) from the 2008-09 campaign.
 
A SECOND ROUND WIN WOULD...
... Give Wichita State 32 wins on the year -- the second highest season total in program history (the 2013-14 Shockers finished up at 35-1).
... Extend the Shocker winning streak to 17-games (also the second longest in school history behind... yeah, those guys).
... Advance WSU to the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years and for the fifth time since the NCAA Tournament began seeding in 1978.
... Make WSU 4-0 all-time against No. 2 seeds.
... Avenge the 2014 team, which fell to Kentucky in the second round after a 35-0 start.
... Give the Shockers multiple victories in four of the last five NCAA Tournaments.
... Improve WSU's all-time NCAA Tournament record to 19-14 in 14 trips.
... Be Wichita State's 1,203^rd victory as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference -- passing Drake (1,202) atop the league's all-time wins list.
 
A SECOND ROUND LOSS WOULD...
... End Wichita State's season at 31-5 (second-highest win total in program history).
... Drop the Shockers to 0-2 all-time against Kentucky.
... Snap a 16-game winning streak (also second-longest in Shocker history).
... Make Gregg Marshall 10-6 in six NCAA Tournaments at WSU and 11-13 overall in 13 trips.
... Be less good than a win.