During Wichita State’s NIT championship run, he enthusiastically rejected the notion he coaches at a mid-major. Check my bank account, he said. Check the way my team travels, and the budget, and my talent and the Koch Arena crowd, he challenged.
“I knew coming in, if given time, we could be very successful here because of the renovations to the facility and the great crowd support, which means revenue,” he said. “When you eliminate excuses why you can’t win, then it’s up to you to win. We’ve got what we need to win.”
Marshall and his coaching staff are proving that in landmark numbers. His 2011 team won a school-record 29 games on its way to the NIT championship. The Shockers followed with 27 wins, a Missouri Valley Conference title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2012. Those 56 wins are the second-most in MVC history for a two-season span.
While WSU still plays in the shadow of the Big 12, people notice its success nationally. ESPN loves showing games at Koch Arena because of the atmosphere. WSU was the first MVC member to play in the Maui Invitational and it regularly lands spots in good tournaments because of its fan support and reputation.
At many schools, losing two members of a class is devastating. Marshall prepared and filled those scholarships. He finds it funny that fans and the media are concerned about his ability to count to 13 scholarships allowed by the NCAA.
“Towards the end (with Hawkins), we kind of knew where he was and we reacted accordingly,” Marshall said. “My college coach … used to say, ‘You’re only as good as your secondary recruiting list’ at some point. That secondary recruiting list better be really good.”
Sexton thinks the program checks all the major boxes for facilities and amenities. That doesn’t mean work stops. WSU is evaluating its locker rooms. A recruiting room, where coaches and administrators meet with athletes and families, is the latest upgrade in recruiting wars to catch Sexton’s attention.
A few years ago, it was common to see athletic directors and boosters from other MVC schools touring Koch Arena. Bradley opened a basketball practice facility in 2010. Evansville is opening one this fall and Creighton recently announced plans.
“We made investments in our facility way ahead of many of our competitors in the conference and they are starting to catch up,” Sexton said. “We look at those things every year.”
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