ATLANTA—Play angry. It was the mantra that the Shocker men’s basketball team lived by during its NCAA Tournament run. But the pep band also embodied it. 

They “performed angry.”

According to Wichita State guard Malcolm Armstead, playing angry meant to have passion and energy out on the court. While the Shocker band may have been in the stands, and not on the court, they performed with the same energy and passion.

“After the Gonzaga game, the players and coaches ran over while we were playing the war chant and they literally danced while we played,” sophomore tuba player Braden Pelischek said. “If that moment didn’t have you excited, you don’t have a pulse.”

Pelischek and his fellow tuba player Ryan Chapman flew with the team to Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and Atlanta.

“It was really exhausting, but we loved it,” Chapman said. “To be able to perform for your school at such a big level makes it all worth it.”

Shocker Nation knows that Final Four runs don’t come along too often, so for the band, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“You hear alumni talk about Xavier McDaniel and Antoine Carr,” Pelischek said. “But to actually partake in history is amazing.”

The pep band had not only WSU’s attention, but also the attention of local and national media. The Wichita Eagle and the Los Angeles Times are just a few of the media outlets that complimented the jams the band was pumping out.

However, head coach Gregg Marshall’s recognition is what Chapman and Pelischek loved most.

“It’s been great that coach Marshall has been so into our music,” Chapman said. “That’s by far the best feeling.”

Now that the Shockers’ tournament run has come to an end, the band will have to wait till next season to keep “performing angry.”