The following is an excerpt from posted on March 31 covering Wichita State's 66-57 win over Alabama in the National Invitation Tournament championship game.
The only shocker about the end to Wichita State's season was the location.
J.T. Durley and Graham Hatch scored 12 points each to lead a balanced offense, and the Shockers overwhelmed top-seeded Alabama 66-57 on Thursday night to win the NIT championship at Madison Square Garden.
Hatch was 4 for 4 from beyond the arc, including back-to-back baskets in the closing minutes, as Wichita State (29-8) finished up a remarkable postseason run in style.
After getting left out of the NCAA tournament -- and after hardly any critics argued on their behalf -- the Shockers left little doubt they should have been selected. They beat Nebraska by 27 points, won at Virginia Tech, beat College of Charleston, then set a school record for wins in a season with a 75-44 romp over Washington State in the semifinals.