Marvin Gentry- USA TODAY Sports
The Missouri Valley Conference has diminished thanks to the new-look Big East Conference by removing the Creighton Bluejays from the Wichita State Shockers’ radar.
Can the Shockers do what their name says and shock the world by going undefeated? It’s highly feasible.
As long as it does not slip on a trap road game like at the Illinois State Redbirds on January 22, it should mean an undefeated season is on the way. With no Creighton in the MVC, who can compete athletically with the Shockers?
The Missouri State Bears have one of the best chances alongside the Drake Bulldogs and the Indiana State Sycamores, to upset Wichita State. That being said, it’s still highly unlikely that they can beat the Shockers at their game.
The hard part of the schedule is over beating the likes of the Tennessee Volunteers, BYU Cougars, Alabama Crimson Tide, Saint Louis Billikens and the Depaul Blue Demons. With the hardest games behind them, it’s easy to look forward to a conference schedule that does not have Creighton and Doug McDermott in the way.
If there is any team in the country that can go undefeated, it’s the Shockers because unlike the rest of the teams that are undefeated, the hard part of the schedule is over. Not having to play in the rigorous Big 10 Conference, Pac-12 Conference, Big-12 Conference or the ACC has to help. The Missouri Valley Conference has arguably the worst depth it has ever had, giving the Shockers a great chance of staying undefeated until the NCAA Tournament comes around.
With the win over the North Carolina Central Eagles, the Shockers now look forward to a home game against the Davidson Wildcats. However, NCCU guard Jeremy Ingram has given teams a chance to believe that they can score on the Shockers by putting up 37 points. Yet the team defense was strong again (aside from Ingram’s outburst) as was Darius Carter’s 20-point performance leaving one of the finishing marks on the non-conference season.
The 77-66 win tonight is just another notch in the win column for the Shockers as they look to stay undefeated for the rest of the season.
John Lloyd is a Pac-12 Basketball Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JohnHLloydIII
