The RoundHouse | 11/8/2021 11:12:00 AM
Wichita State opens the men's basketball season on Tuesday as the reigning American Athletic Conference champion.
The Shockers won their 12th conference title as an NCAA Division I team in March – 11 in the Missouri Valley Conference and one in the American. History tells us titles come in clusters for the Shockers. They won consecutive titles in the MVC four times and two in three years in the early 1980s.
To tip off the season, here is a look at each of Wichita State's conference titles.
Friday: The Stallworth era
Today: Cheese, Super Cal and MTXE
Tuesday: Roundhouse Renaissance
Cheese, Super Cal and MTXE
After significant changes in MVC membership, the Shockers found new rivals such as Southern Illinois and New Mexico State and returned to the top of the standings in 1975-76. Charismatic freshman Cheese Johnson joined an experienced group and the Shockers won the final MVC automatic bid before the advent of the conference tournament.
Coach Gene Smithson arrived in 1978-79 and quickly remade the Shockers into the city's top sports story by recruiting local star Antoine Carr and others. MVC rivalries with Tulsa, Bradley, Creighton and Illinois State heated up and Shocker fans reveled in the rivalry with big personalities such as Tulsa coach Nolan Richardson and Bradley's Dick Versace and talented players such as Tulsa's Paul Pressey and Steve Harris, Bradley's Mitchell Anderson and Drake's Lewis Lloyd.
1975-76
Record: 18-10, 10-2 MVC
Coach: Harry Miller
Final national ranking: None
Shocker stars: Johnson earned MVC Newcomer of the Year honors and C Robert Elmore grabbed a spot on the All-MVC first team. F Robert Gray led the team with an average of 13.3 points and G Cal Bruton averaged 12.9 points and 5.1 assists.
Big game: Bruton made two free throws with 19 seconds to play to give the Shockers a 65-64 win over Southern Illinois on Feb. 14, 1976. Gray scored 22 points, making 10 of 15 shots, and Wichita State won its sixth straight game to move into first in the MVC. SIU ended the season one game behind the Shockers in the MVC standings.
In one sentence: Wichita State defeated No. 20 West Texas State to start a 10-1 stretch to finish the regular season and win the Valley title.
Post-season: NCAA Tournament
1980-81
Record: 26-7, 12-4 MVC
Coach: Gene Smithson
Final national ranking: None
Shocker stars: F Cliff Levingston averaged 18.5 points and 11.4 rebounds on his way to an All-MVC spot. Carr, a second-team pick, averaged 15.8 points and blocked 65 shots in 33 games. G Tony Martin averaged 5.6 assists.
Big game: Carr scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in an 83-70 win over Creighton at home to sweep the season series from the Bluejays. Creighton and Tulsa, which swept the Shockers, finished tied for second, one game back.
In one sentence: The MTXE era hit high gear with the star power of Carr and Levingston packing Levitt Arena.
Post-season: NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1982-83
Record: 25-3, 17-1 MVC
Coach: Gene Smithson
Final national ranking: No. 14 (AP)
Shocker stars: Carr closed out his career by averaging 22.6 points on his way to MVC Player of the Year and All-American honors. F Xavier McDaniel earned first-team All-MVC honors after leading the MVC with an average of 14.4 rebounds. G Aubrey Sherrod made All-MVC second team with an average of 15.3 points.
Big game: Tulsa frustrated the Shockers for three seasons before 1982-83. Wichita State ended a five-game losing streak in the heated rivalry with a 92-74 win at Levitt Arena. Carr scored 24 points and McDaniel contributed 19 points and 22 rebounds.
In one sentence: The Shockers, with future NBA Draft picks Carr, McDaniel and Sherrod, dominated the MVC by finishing four games ahead of second-place Illinois State.
Post-season: None
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
