Wichita State basketball grew into a national presence and a local favorite in the early 1960's.
As a member of the Missouri Valley Conference – then one of the nation's top conferences – the Shockers spent the first half of the decade often nationally ranked and in post-season play. WSU peaked in 1965 with a second straight MVC title and an appearance in the Final Four in Portland, Ore.
The team's success and star power sparked an attendance boom at what is now Charles Koch Arena. The Shockers averaged 4,162 fans in 1959-60.