WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State's All-American backcourt has national pundits predicting big things. The Shockers are picked seventh in Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook's preseason rankings, released Wednesday.
The publication also unveiled the rest of its preseason All-America selections this week, with WSU's Ron Baker slotted to the Third Team. Baker joins fellow junior Fred VanVleet, who was announced as a Blue Ribbon First Team choice in late August.
WSU is one of only three schools in the country with multiple players on the list, along with preseason No. 1 Kentucky and No. 3 Wisconsin.
Baker - a 6-foot-3 guard from Scott City, Kan. – is the Shockers' top returning scorer. He averaged 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists during his sophomore season and knocked down a team-best 68 three-pointers.
The Shockers (35-1 in 2013-14) finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls.
Blue Ribbon's 400-page preseason guide is due out in mid-October.
For all your Shocker merchandise visit the official Wichita State team store.
2014-15 BLUE RIBBON PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Montrezl Harrell | 6-8, Jr. | Louisville
Malcolm Brogdon | 6-5, Jr. | Virginia
Frank Kaminsky | 7-0, Sr. | Wisconsin
Marcus Paige |6-1, Jr. | North Carolina
Fred VanVleet | 5-11, Jr. | Wichita State
SECOND TEAM
Sam Dekker | 6-9, Jr. | Wisconsin
Karl-Anthony Towns | 6-11, Fr. | Kentucky
Jahlil Okafor | 7-0, Fr. | Duke
Caris Levert | 6-7, Jr. | Michigan
Aaron Harrison | 6-6, So. | Kentucky
THIRD TEAM
Georges Niang |6-8, Jr. | Iowa State
Willie Cauley-Stein | 7-0, Jr. | Kentucky
Ron Baker | 6-3, Jr. | Wichita State
Tyler Haws | 6-5 Sr. | BYU
Juwan Staten | 6-1 Sr. | West Virginia
FOURTH TEAM
Myles Turner | 6-11, Fr. | Texas
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson | 6-7, So. | Arizona
Treveon Graham | 6-6, Sr. | VCU
Ryan Boatwright |6-2, Sr. | Connecticut
Kevin Pangos |6-2, Sr. | Gonzaga
BLUE RIBBON PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Kentucky
2. Arizona
3. Wisconsin
4. North Carolina
5. Duke
6. Kansas
7. Wichita State
8. Virginia
9. Gonzaga
10. Florida
11. Louisville
12. Texas
13. Villanova
14. VCU
15. Ohio State
16. Connecticut
17. San Diego State
18. Iowa State
19. SMU
20. Michigan State
21. Syracuse
22. Stanford
23. Michigan
24. Nebraska
25. Oklahoma
-Wichita State-
