NCAA Basketball: Baker and VanVleet Returning to Wichita State

The Wichita State Shockers have their two top scorers returning next year for their senior seasons. Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet have confirmed to ESPN.com and sources that they will return for their final year. Both players were projected as second round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Ron Baker led the Shockers with 14.7 points a game while VanVleet was second on the team with 13.6 points a game. VanVleet led the Missouri Valley Conference with just over five assists a game.

In the 2012-2013, the two stars led Wichita State to a Final Four berth and a 30-9 record.  Then in 2013-2014, Wichita State started the year 35-0 and clinched a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Kentucky in the second round. This past year, Wichita State finished the season 30-5. The Shockers beat in-state rival Kansas in the Round of 32 before falling to Notre Dame 81-70 in the Sweet 16.

Not only do the Shockers get Baker and VanVleet back for next season but their coach Gregg Marshall signed a long-term extension to stay at Wichita State over an offer from Alabama.

“It’s been a good three years,” VanVleet said in the news release.  “But now it’s time to finish what we started.”

Baker added, “The reality is, I felt like any decision I made was going to be a good one…with what we have coming in and the people we have returning next season has the potential to be very special.”

With their senior star guards returning, Wichita State will have one of the best backcourts in the nation next season.

 

Written by Charlie Beuttel

Photo credit: zimbo.com; VanVleet and Baker during the 2015 NCAA Tournament.