The RoundHouse | 3/19/2019 8:49:00 AM

 
The seniors are staring at their final game soon and the rest of the team isn't ready to let go of Markis McDuffie's grin and Samajae Haynes-Jones' crossover dribble. They are not ready to face basketball without their seniors and their cumulative effect on a bunch of rookies.
 
There are many reasons for Wichita State to play in the National Invitation Tournament and many reasons to win, advance and win some more. For the freshmen, sophomores and juniors on this team, the No. 1 reason is give McDuffie and Haynes-Jones another 40 minutes of basketball.
 
"Things haven't always looked up for me this season," junior guard Ricky Torres said. "Last year, Samajae, coming from a junior college, things didn't always look up for him. He uses his story as an example for me to look at, to stay positive. He's been in my ear. McDuffie . . you can see it on his face every day . . . it's the way he stays positive even in games that he knew we should have won."
 
Sixth-seeded Wichita State (19-14) plays at third-seeded Furman (25-7) on Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN3) in the first round of the NIT. 
 
It is payback time, the Shocker underclassmen say, payback time for McDuffie and Haynes-Jones and all the work they did during Wichita State's struggles. The seniors carried the Shockers through a home loss in the opener, to wins over Providence and Baylor and through a 1-6 start to American Athletic Conference play before the rest of the team coalesced around them. 
 
Since Jan. 30, the Shockers are 11-3 and it is time for the youngsters to help McDuffie and Haynes-Jones extend their careers. Extend those careers with three wins and the Shockers know McDuffie will play in Madison Square Garden, 18 miles from his hometown of Paterson, N.J. and home of the Knicks, his favorite NBA team. 
 
"He deserves it," junior center Jaime Echenique said. "He's been a really good leader. He deserves something coming from the new guys."
 
More games for the seniors, starting this week in South Carolina. A trip home for McDuffie in early April. Build on a win over NCAA Tournament team Temple and a strong effort vs. NCAA Tournament team Cincinnati last week. Those are the motivations driving the Shockers.
 
"We want them to go out on a win," Torres said. "They've done so much for us this season, while we were extremely inexperienced. Now everybody is able to contribute in their own way. It's time for us to give back to them."
 
McDuffie, Haynes-Jones and sophomore center Asbjørn Midtgaard are the three Shockers on the roster with NCAA Tournament experience. For the rest, the NIT is their first taste of post-season play and they are enthusiastic. They are playing well, proving in the AAC Tournament that they can match up with NCAA teams, and they want to keep playing.
 
"We have an opportunity to bring our senior back toward home," freshman guard Jamarius Burton said. "This whole season, we've been staying positive and progressing as the weeks have gone by."
 
All the final moments are piling up for the seniors. There is a chance they will practice for the final time at Koch Arena on Tuesday morning. There is a chance they played their final game at Koch Arena on March 5. The seniors know their teammates are trying to delay more of those moments as long as possible.
 
"That makes me feel great . . . just to show how much they appreciate me and Samajae being the leaders of this team," McDuffie said. "It touches me and Samajae, the things they say to us. That motivates you. These guys know we're on our way out and, for the future, they're going to always remember where it started."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.