Wichita State is seeking its first American Athletic Conference Tournament title since joining the league in 2017.

Head Coach Gregg Marshall said that on the whole, this season’s AAC crop is not as good as in recent years. The league is lacking depth and there is no dominant team asserting itself at the top of the standings.

“The league probably isn’t as good at the top as it was last year or the year before that when we were one of the top teams,” Marshall said. “I think the bottom is much better. I think Tulane beat Cincinnati earlier this year. UConn beat Houston just the other day. The bottom is hungry to move up to the middle, and the middle is solid. They’re pretty talented, so the league is kind of cannibalistic if you will, and I think it has hurt our ability to get three or four teams in the NCAA Tournament. 

Marshall’s squad currently sits on the NCAA Tournament bubble. 

“We just need to do what we need to do to get in,” he said. “Cincinnati is thinking the same way. Tulsa had a chance until we beat them. We had a team finish first in our conference and they’re not even considered a bubble team, which is unfortunate, but that has to do with their non-conference games. The league is very tough. It’s strong at the top, solid in the middle, and much better at the bottom.”

Marshall aired his frustration that teams in conferences such as the Big Ten played easier non-conference schedules and have leaned on their conference schedule to help build their resumes prior to Selection Sunday. 

Marshall said the AAC’s non-conference scheduling should earn them more respect from the selection committee.

“I don’t know if they’re going to reward every team in the Big Ten a bit because they tricked the system and played nobody in the non-conference,” Marshall said. “It looks like a smart move on their part, but there’s no way that’s going to hold water. But I have no say. I’m not going to be in the room. I just hope our league gets our due and what we deserve. We’ll know more in about six days.”

Marshall credits WSU’s non-conference slate with giving them a strong case for the selection committee. The Shockers have the 79th best strength of schedule in the country, which is good for fourth-best in the AAC. 

“We played Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, VCU, South Carolina, West Virginia. That’s about as good of schools as we want to play,” Marshall said of WSU’s non-conference schedule. “Abilene Christian and Gardner-Webb have both been to the tournament. Generally, if you take those teams in a given year, you’re going to have a good strength of schedule.”

Marshall said that above all else, he hopes his team plays with a sense of urgency.

“I mean, I know I’m 57 years old, but every time I walk onto a basketball floor, I try to win the game,” Marshall said. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing or whether its an exhibition or if it’s Duke. I’m trying to win the game. I hope our players have that same mindset and I think they will. When you’re in the dog days of November and you haven’t played anybody, I tell them, ‘You’ll want to win these games come March.’”

WSU will play the winner of the UConn-Tulane game Friday in Fort Worth. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Dickies Arena.