While Murray State was gobbling up headlines in its quest to go undefeated this season, Wichita State flew under the radar after two early-season losses. Now, with Murray State having dropped one (and only one) game, and Wichita State on the verge of clinching the especially tough Missouri Valley Conference title, both teams are squarely on the map as two of the best mid-major basketball teams this year.
But which one is going to be the most dangerous come NCAA tournament time?
Witchita State
Most college basketball fans probably know less about Wichita State than they do the Shockers, but Wichita's success is nothing new. The Shockers won the NIT last season, which means they probably got screwed out of an NCAA appearance -- a mistake that will not be repeated this year.
Wichita is a veteran team that is looking to build off of last year's postseason success -- the Shockers' seven top scorers this season are all juniors and seniors -- and have a combination of depth, size and pure talent that we rarely see at the mid-major level. They have a skilled seven-footer in the middle in Garrett Stutz, who leads the team in scoring, and a senior point guard, Joe Ragland, who has a 2-1 assist to turnover ratio over the past two seasons. They can shoot the three, but unlike many potential cinderella teams, the Shockers don't rely on the outside shot.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Wichita State's resume -- and the greatest indication of postseason potential -- is their ability to win on the road. The Shockers have five road victories this year over RPI top-100 team: Tulsa, Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Creighton and Davidson. They also beat UNLV by 19 at home in December, and handled Colorado on a neutral floor in November.
Murray State
Saturday's Murray State-St. Mary's BracketBuster game was one of the most anticipated college basketball games of the season. Finally, we had the chance to see the Racers on national TV against a quality opponent. And damn, were they impressive. It's too bad St. Mary's was in a slump coming into the game, because people will use that as a reason to continue to underestimate the Racers. But underestimate at your own risk. Murray State is for real, and no one in the country is going to want to draw them in March.
The Racers aren't as big as Wichita State, but the Racers have great athleticism and they can shoot the lights out. Murray State has sex -- six! -- players who shoot 39 percent or better from behind the arc. That kind of shooting ability really spreads out a defense, allowing the Racers to use their quickness off the dribble to get to the bucket and get to the free throw line, where they have a trio of mid 80s foul shooters.
Isaiah Canaan is one of the best players and point guards in the country -- no "mid-major" qualifier needed -- scoriong 19 points a game and shooting 48 percent from the field as he does it. Canaan has the ability to take over a game, and will be able to dictate the play on every possession an NCAA tourney game.
Who's More Dangerous?
Murray State's 23-1 record gives the Racers an invaluable and irreplaceable assett -- confidence. Who would you rather bet on in a do-or-die game in March -- a traditionally-built BCS conference team that struggled to a 10 or 12-loss season, or the Racers, who know exacly what they need to do to win?
But Wichita State, meanwhile, is not lacking for confidence either. The Shockers have the size and experience to go toe-to-toe with even the top teams from the top conferences. No one is going to want to see either of these teams in March, but Wichita State is built to not only score a big upset, but to roll through multiple rounds of the NCAA tournament. I expect big things from Murray State, but Wichita State is the most dangerous mid-major in the nation this year.
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