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"Adding Wichita State means the AAC must now be counted as a 'Major 7' conference" - CBS Sports
The Shockers put the AAC into college basketball's exclusive club of powerful leagues
by Matt Norlander
Posted: 11/01/17, 7;00pm, cst
"...College basketball got better and more interesting with Wichita State, a team we project in the top five of all of college basketball, bailing on the Missouri Valley for the American this summer.
...Joining the American should ideally boost Wichita State's seeding situation come Selection Sunday in 2018 and beyond. By nature of playing in a weakened Missouri Valley Conference, the Shockers have been shortsightedly punished by the selection committee in recent seasons. They lacked the opportunity to land big wins in January, February and early March and so they dropped in the bracket. Despite multiple accepted mainstream metrics highly ranking the Shockers, the committee opted to slot Wichita State -- which from 2015-17 had an average of 27 wins by Selection Sunday -- with an average No. 9 seed....
...The American was already sitting at the table (albeit the far end) with the other big basketball conferences, but Wichita State's inclusion seals the deal. ...
...From a public relations and marketing standpoint, the American also gets this blend of a nationally recognizable program that still has a credible claim to play with a chip on its shoulder given how it's been seeded in recent years...
...I mentioned to Marshall that there is -- just as Gonzaga has -- a contingent of counterculture fans that root against the Shockers and Zags.
"What I think you'll find is those are fans of a BCS program that's not very successful," Marshall said. "There's a lot of schools, and I'm not going to name names, that are fortunate their university was placed in a certain conference so many years ago. Otherwise, they would be viewed very differently. A lot of this is just the conference. 'We're a big-time school, we're a big-time program,' when that's not the case. It's just the league you're in."...
...With this injury-catalyzed roster evolution, Marshall expects 10 guys to average double-digit minutes. If that happens, though it's hard to envision now even with such a high preseason position, the Shockers could wind up even better than predicted. That is the dream scenario for Marshall and the American. "
...And yet, for all the good this marriage brings to Wichita State, I'd argue it's even more prosperous for the American....
The Shockers put the AAC into college basketball's exclusive club of powerful leagues
by Matt Norlander
Posted: 11/01/17, 7;00pm, cst
"...College basketball got better and more interesting with Wichita State, a team we project in the top five of all of college basketball, bailing on the Missouri Valley for the American this summer.
...Joining the American should ideally boost Wichita State's seeding situation come Selection Sunday in 2018 and beyond. By nature of playing in a weakened Missouri Valley Conference, the Shockers have been shortsightedly punished by the selection committee in recent seasons. They lacked the opportunity to land big wins in January, February and early March and so they dropped in the bracket. Despite multiple accepted mainstream metrics highly ranking the Shockers, the committee opted to slot Wichita State -- which from 2015-17 had an average of 27 wins by Selection Sunday -- with an average No. 9 seed....
...The American was already sitting at the table (albeit the far end) with the other big basketball conferences, but Wichita State's inclusion seals the deal. ...
...From a public relations and marketing standpoint, the American also gets this blend of a nationally recognizable program that still has a credible claim to play with a chip on its shoulder given how it's been seeded in recent years...
...I mentioned to Marshall that there is -- just as Gonzaga has -- a contingent of counterculture fans that root against the Shockers and Zags.
"What I think you'll find is those are fans of a BCS program that's not very successful," Marshall said. "There's a lot of schools, and I'm not going to name names, that are fortunate their university was placed in a certain conference so many years ago. Otherwise, they would be viewed very differently. A lot of this is just the conference. 'We're a big-time school, we're a big-time program,' when that's not the case. It's just the league you're in."...
...With this injury-catalyzed roster evolution, Marshall expects 10 guys to average double-digit minutes. If that happens, though it's hard to envision now even with such a high preseason position, the Shockers could wind up even better than predicted. That is the dream scenario for Marshall and the American. "
...And yet, for all the good this marriage brings to Wichita State, I'd argue it's even more prosperous for the American....
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