Gregg Marshall emerged from the Wichita State locker room at the FedExForum on Saturday night with tears welling up in his eyes.
For the first time in eight years, the Shockers will not be playing in the NCAA Tournament. Their only chance of continuing that streak — winning the American Athletic Conference tournament — had just ended, courtesy of a 66-63 loss to No. 23 Cincinnati in the semifinals.
This has been the most dramatic roller coaster of a season Marshall has been through in 12 years at WSU. From losing the season-opener at Koch Arena to Louisiana Tech to losing six of the first seven conference games to winning 11 of 13 to reach Saturday’s semifinals to falling one possession short of reaching the tournament championship game.