The 2014 men’s basketball season will forever be remembered by fans of the Shockers as the year the team went undefeated for an unprecedented 35 games. It was a feat that had never been seen before in NCAA history.

As the team prepared to face off against Kentucky on Sunday, they knew they were in for a hard-fought battle that would see one of two results. WSU would move on to the Sweet 16, or Kentucky would. At that point, the undefeated Shockers weren’t 35-0. They were 1-0.

“Our goal this weekend is to be 2-0 and to win two games in order to get to the next weekend. And right now we have won one and we have one to go,” head coach Gregg Marshall said in a press conference Saturday.

That’s how things work in the NCAA Tournament. Records up until that point mean nothing — it’s win or go home.

Unfortunately for Wichita State, Kentucky was the better team by one shot.

The Shockers defeated the California Polytechnic Mustangs Friday to advance to the game against Kentucky.

Cleanthony Early had a commanding performance throughout the tournament, scoring 23 points against Cal Poly and 31 against Kentucky.

Coach Gregg Marshall said he was proud of his senior performance in his two years on the team and how he always rose to the occasion.

“On the big stage he plays his best,” Marshall said. “And I am just sorry that his career is now over here, but I will guarantee you his career is just starting at the next level.”

The Shockers took an early lead against Cal Poly that they would never relinquish to give them the largest margin of victory among any of the No. 1 seeds.

After the game they stuck around the arena to watch the Kansas State and Kentucky game, the winner of which they would play Sunday.

As that game drew to a close it became clear that the only undefeated team in the nation was going to take on the team that fell short of that same expectation early into their season.

“In the beginning of the year you see like who is projected where and stuff like that, but at the same time we stick to what we know,” Tekele Cotton said Saturday. “We stick to what we do. And we’ve got to play for ourselves.”

The Shockers prepared for the battle. They held their own, and kept Kentucky at bay for much of the first half.

The back-and-forth game came to an abrupt stop with a steal by Cotton. Next were a couple of free throws that gave WSU a lead they would not give up until Kentucky came back in the second half.

Darius Carter pulled a dunk down, Fred VanVleet hit a jumper, Ron Baker put up points, and Early continued his domination. Before Kentucky knew it they were down 32-23 with less than five minutes before the break.

“We knew they were going to be a really good team,” said Kentucky’s Jarrod Polson. “They were 35-0 this season. I would say that’s the best team we’ve played this year.”

Coming out of the half a three-pointer by Early got WSU going before a 10-0 run by Kentucky forced the Shockers to fight back once again.

The teams went back and forth again, and as the final seconds of the game wound down it became clear that the victor would rely on one shot. Two points would tie. Three would win.

VanVleet took the shot, unable to get the ball to Early or Baker. The ball flew through the air and bounced off the rim.

Game over. The historic season had drawn to an end.

Fans were proud of their Shockers though, blowing up Twitter and Facebook with words of congratulations on their epic season.

Kentucky coach John Calipari said the game felt more like an Elite Eight game to him than one to see who would move on to the Sweet 16.

“The winner of this should have gone on to the Final Four, that’s what this was,” he said.

Marshall said the two teams played a fantastic basketball game and congratulated Kentucky on the win. In the end he was proud of his team’s accomplishments.

“[I’m] just excited to be sitting here with these gentlemen and the joy that they brought us all year long will live with me forever,” Marshall said.