I remember back when WSU beat KU in the famous Battle of New Orleans back in the Smithson glory years. It was a Sweet 16 game. Amazingly, WSU also beat KU in a rare football game that same season, on an improbable touchdown catch by some white boy from Lacrosse, KS. There was a famous t-shirt that soon circulated around Wichita that year that had the scores of both the football and basketball games imprinted, then had the phrase "Baseball Anyone?" (WSU had a national elite baseball team back then.) Seemed like every other person you saw in Wichita was wearing that t-shirt. Both KU and K-State have always treated WSU like second-class citizens; they were even opposed to (then Wichita U.) being admitted to the state university system

I still have that T- shirt somewhere.

I was at the regional game where the Shocks came back against Iowa at the roundhouse.

It is really nice to see the Shocks become relevant again, especially with a Coach that isn't using the program as a stepping stone.

That means **** you Eddie Fogler!

Yup agree, and not only does Marshall think he can win here, he thinks he can win it all especially after last year.

I think he has already proven it, and he has done it without the cream of the crop recruits like the Jayhawks have. Just think when he starts landing some of those!

Of course, the last time that happened Ted Owens got pissed and WSU got busted for giving a coat to Cliff Livingston, that previously belonged to Elmore.

I don't think Marshall is going to allow that to happen. The brightest years for Shocker basketball just may lay ahead!

Yes, I was at that regional game too. KU played and beat Arizona St. right after the Shockers victory. Never forget Randy Smithson hitting those free throws at the end then falling backwards on his butt. The roundhouse was the loudest I've ever experienced at any sporting event. It was special, because I had Randy in a few business courses with me at the time and also waited tables at Crestview Country Club where I served Gene Smithson on Sunday evenings. Camped in a tent outside in the cold rain the following year to get season tickets when Aubrey Sherod, Greg Drieling, and Xavier McDaniel were coming in to join the already potent bookends of Carr and Levingston. Oh, what could have been!

To this day, that is still the top sporting event experience I have had. I have been to some big Royals and Chiefs games, but that was the best.

Did you stay for the KU game against Arizona? I was absolutely exhausted from the Shocker game, and the 2nd game was very anti-climatic so I left after about 10 minutes. It was a great experience.

Yes, my fiancé and I stayed for the KU game against Arizona State. We were exhausted too, but just wanted to stay and bask in the after-glow. It was anti-climactic, but as I recall Arizona St. was ranked 3rd or 4th in the nation, so that game was also a big upset.

Actually, it was an overzealous WSU "booster" that turned us in to the NCAA. Evidently he was tight with some of the pre-Smithson recruits that felt they had been slighted when Gene brought in some superior talent. I won't say his name - he knows who he is, as do old-time WSU fans.

Ted Owens was kind of a prick, though.

To me, watching that KU game was like snuggling after sex when you would rather have a smoke.

KU was ranked highly as well, and I will always love Darnell Valentine. :D

I hear about the story, but my dad never mention the person's name, and he said he won't even tell me who he is.

So, some of the younger generation of WSU fans wonder about the situation.

There are plenty of stories about what actually happened, and we can all hang on to the one we like the most.
My preference is that Ted Owens had his own private entrance to the NCAA at the time, and when Dreiling etc. picked the Shockers over KU, he had enough since the Battle of New Orleans.

Oh, Darnell Valentine - what a majestic player he was. I remember, it was back in 1977 or 1978, he played on a very special Wichita Heights High School basketball team. I think the 5 were Valentine, Antoine Carr, Antoine's brother James Carr, a lightning fast guard named Calvin Alexander, and another forward named Adolphus "Doc" Holden who could leap out of the gym. They were undefeated state champions, probably could have beat any other high school team, and still the greatest team in Kansas high school basketball history.

Yes and Darnell Valentine went to KU, but he did miss the layup against the Shockers in New Orleans that would have sealed the game. :D I got to know James Carr some and I am surprised if he played HS BB with Antoine, as I thought he was a lot younger. He used to hang out where I worked a little bit, Dillards.

I think James Carr was a senior in h.s. when Antoine was a sophomore, but I could be a little off. I know Valentine was a senior at the same time Antoine was a sophomore. James was actually recruited to WSU. Didn't play a lot, and some thought it was just to set up an "in" to get Antoine.

Did Antoine have another brother that played at WSU? Henry Carr, if I remember correctly. Had the funniest looking free throw technique I ever saw.