Wichita State (30-0, 17-0) won number 30 last night, a feat no college basketball team has ever accomplished in the regular season and a feat no other current ranked division I basketball team (or likely any team outside the Missouri Valley Conference, but I haven't done the full check) could have yet accomplished this season. For some reason, the MVC plays its conference schedule faster than most.
Six teams since 1976 (a cut-off that negates UCLA's multi-season win streaks) have finished the regular season undefeated: St. Joseph's (27-0) in 2004, UNLV (27-0) in 1991, Indiana State (29-0) in 1979, Alcorn State (27-0) in 1979, Rutgers (28-0) in 1976, and Indiana (27-0) in 1976. Three of those teams (UNLV, Indiana State, and Indiana) made it to 30-0. Just one (Indiana) finished the year undefeated, CBS sports reported.
Since Gregg Marshall took over a 17-14 team from 2006-07 and led them to an 11-20 record his first season in 07-08, the Shockers have gone 169-70. Despite 25 plus win seasons in each of the last four (five counting the current one), last year was their first in the NCAA tournament under Marshall. (Creighton used to be in the MVC and snagged a good portion of the division's limited Tournament opportunities). It all seemed worth the wait when they advanced to the Final Four last year.
As has been their M.O. the last two years, the Shockers played a relatively easy conference schedule with their biggest opportunities for RPI mobility coming in games against major programs outside the rankings. (Last year their biggest games were against Iowa and Tennessee, both of whom did not finish in the year's final top 25; this year their biggest such matchups were against a poor Alabama team and a solid Tennessee one). Their SOS got a somewhat unexpected boost with the Saint Louis win. Though they finished thirteenth in the country last season, the Bilikens (love that mascot name) weren't ranked at the time they hosted Wichita State, but are now #10 with a 25-2 record (only other loss at Wisconsin).
Wichita State next plays Missouri State (19-10, 9-8) on Saturday at home for their final regular season conference game before the conference tournament.
