ATLANTA—The what-ifs can eat away at a person for an eternity, while the immediate pain of losing after coming so far can make it difficult to see the bigger picture. 

But like everything else the Wichita State men’s basketball team has accomplished this season, the Shockers refuse to hold to the norm. 

“We’re not going to hang our heads. We’re going to soak it all up and enjoy the moment,” WSU freshman guard Fred Van Vleet said. “I think everybody is going to respect Wichita State for a long time, and we definitely gave the best team in the country a run for their money.”

There were plenty of tears and sorrow after Louisville defeated WSU 72-68 on Saturday in the Georgia Dome in the national semifinal game. 

The Shockers gave away a 12-point lead with 13:36 to play against the NCAA Tournament’s top overall seed, and were just a few plays away from advancing to the school’s first national title game. 

But what they lost isn’t the story. It’s what the Shockers finally gained, and that is the respect of the rest of the country. 

“It’s tough for Wichita State to lose this game tonight because they played great,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. “Last year we played the No. 1 RPI schedule in the nation, and this year we played a top-five schedule. I don’t think we could face a basketball team any better than Wichita State. They are great.”

As great as the Shockers were, they found out that even national semifinal games are 40 minutes long. 

With a 12-point cushion and the feeling that they were closing in on a victory, turnovers and key makes by Louisville suddenly opened the door for a Cardinal rally. 

“We had a defensive plan to just be in the gaps and force them to shoot those shots,” WSU senior guard Malcolm Armstead said. “They just happened to knock them down.”

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Louisville’s Tim Henderson quickly cut WSU’s lead in half. Miscues on offense hurt just as equally. 

WSU coach Gregg Marshall became especially angry with freshman guard Ron Baker when he passed up a 3-pointer to instead pass the ball inside to senior center Ehimen Orukpe, who missed his shot and ensuing free throw attempts.

“Next year I think he’ll be a little more confident to take it. I don’t think he lacks confidence now, but he believes this teammate could catch it, turn and score, which did not happen,” Marshall said. “All these kids, these young men, they believe in each other, man. In this case, almost to a fault.”

What had been turning into a WSU rout became a dogfight over the final minutes. Luke Hancock’s 3-pointer with 2:06 to play was the shot of the game, giving Louisville a five-point lead, it’s largest of the night. 

The final two minutes were about free throws and gutsy baskets by the Shockers, who trailed by two points with 12 seconds to play. Hancock went to the free-throw line for Louisville, making the first but missing the second. 

Baker came down with the ball and what appeared to be one final chance to force overtime for WSU, but a controversial jump ball call on the rebound gave possession back to the Cardinals. 

A final free throw by Louisville’s Russ Smith with five seconds to play was the finishing touch. 

“There’s always that part of you that really wants to win, but you appreciate so much your opponent,” Pitino said. “The reason our starters played poorly is because Wichita State is that good. So we’re really happy to be playing in the final game.”

Wichita State’s season ended on Saturday, but it ended as well as a season can end without a national championship. 

The Shockers finished with a record of 30-9, the single most wins in school history. The team’s Final Four appearance was the second in history, the first since 1965. 

En route to the Final Four, WSU upset a No. 1-ranked team, Gonzaga, for the first time in decades. For the last few weeks the Shockers had become America’s team, often dominating on the biggest stage in college basketball, and even made the cover of Sports Illustrated. 

The journey fell short of its intended goal, but it also lasted far longer than most thought it would. And if the Shockers have their way, Saturday’s loss is only a temporary delay in a greater story yet to be told. 

“We didn’t say goodbye. We didn’t say this is it. This is just a beginning,” Marshall said. “I think they’ve gained fans, support and love across the world, and they certainly proved that not only do they belong, but they can play with the best.”