The RoundHouse | 7/29/2022 3:00:00 PM
There are many ways to explain the connection between Wichita State basketball fans and their Shockers. The best might be a father and a daughter waiting outside Koch Arena in July to watch former Shockers.
The dad went to Wichita State in the 1980's and knew some of the stars of that era – Cheese Johnson and Antoine Carr, among them. His daughter and her friends grew up watching recent Shockers such as
Markis McDuffie and
Conner Frankamp.
For almost 70 years, fans flocked to Koch Arena in the cold of January and February to watch the Shockers. For many, coming in July to watch the AfterShocks in The Basketball Tournament is a natural progression of that devotion.
"The lineage has passed on," Paul Dale said. "Through all these (younger people), I get each generation of ball-players. It's truly a family atmosphere."
Paul and Micaela Dale and others are outside Koch Arena more than two hours before AfterShocks tip-off, determined to grab the best seats possible. Thanks to that type of fan, the AfterShocks continued to fill TBT seats like no other venue this summer.
The AfterShocks, two wins away from the TBT championship and $1 million in prize money, play Americana for Autism in a semifinal at 3 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) in Dayton, Ohio.
Kyle Coffman succinctly describes the appeal. The 2006 Sweet 16 team sparked his love for the Shockers. His loyalty remains and requires little explanation.
"It's Wichita State," he said.
The AfterShocks drew crowds of 4,788 for the opener, 3,354 and 3,013 before 4,569 for Wednesday's victory over the Gutter Cat Gang. The team owns the top three and four of the tournament's top five attendance marks in 2022.
Albuquerque (3,532) is the only other site to surpass 3,000.
The AfterShocks also dominate the historical TBT attendance rankings. In 2019, the AfterShocks set the tournament attendance record with 7,184 fans for their opener. In 2021, 6,500 showed up for the regional title game.
"From an outside perspective, it's a testament to Wichita State basketball and the relationships, even after the four years a player has here," said TBT event manager Kelly Quigley. "They found a home in Wichita and fans connected with them. It's been such a great atmosphere."
There are many passionate college basketball towns and cities. Some of them host TBT games – schools such as Creighton, Dayton, Syracuse and Xavier and New Mexico. None of them draw like Wichita.
"Inject that sound into our veins," AfterShocks coach
Zach Bush said Wednesday after the win. "There's nothing like it."
The Koch Arena crowd is one of the largest lures for the former Shockers to play and reunite. They enjoy returning to see former teammates, coaches, fans and friends. They love the memories sparked by the locker room, the practice gym and the rush of jogging up the tunnel to enter the court to that roar.
"It's the fans that give us that extra oomph,"
Darral Willis Jr. said.
Dive on the floor, block a shot – it didn't go unnoticed how the fans respond to hustle and defense – dunk or make a three-pointer and the AfterShocks savor the response from the crowd.
"I was glad I was able get going like that in this gym," said
Markis McDuffie, who scored 17 points Wednesday. "Get the crowd going. That's the fun part of being here, playing in this gym and get a run going."
The gym is the focal point.
While Koch Arena underwent a significant update before the 2003-04 season, it retained its essential shape and spirit. The fans who enter the seating area are looking at a scene much like the time they fell in love with Shocker basketball of any era.
Maybe their parents brought them to see Dave Stallworth or Warren Jabali, or they came to see Carr and Cliff Levingston before heading to the Cedar with friends.
Maybe they brought their children to see Randy Burns and Jamar Howard and became regulars with Garrett Stutz, Toure Murry and Joe Ragland. Perhaps
Ron Baker and Tekele Cotton made Shocker games a can't-miss event.
No matter the era or favorite player, the arena is the place they yelled and high-fived friends and departed with a happy buzz of victory.
"It's the memories," said Joe Stroud, one of the fans waiting outside Koch Arena. "Everyone comes together. This is pretty much life in Wichita."
Those memories, as the TBT crowds show, don't stop in March. Basketball is a year-round connection in Wichita.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
