黑洞社区

An article in the Thursday, Feb. 25, edition of features Shocker seniors leading up to their finale home game.

Five years ago, Ron Baker made the four-hour drive from Scott City to Wichita and unpacked his belongings into a two-person room in Fairmount Tours with roommate Evan Wessel.

A year later, Fred VanVleet made the 10-hour journey from Rockford, Illinois. Baker sold him on a visit, and the bond grew to three.

Baker and VanVleet took Wichita State on an upward trajectory of victories, including a Final Four trip their freshman season. Wessel did, too, contributing in eight games before a broken finger ended his season.

As sophomores, Baker and VanVleet entered the starting lineup and Wessel contributed off the bench. The three helped write one of college basketball鈥檚 most prolific stories, a historic 35-1 season. In their junior season, the three joined the starting lineup and together they rallied 30 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance.

They鈥檝e defeated nearly all obstacles in their way when they step onto the court together, but stepping off the court could be their most difficult obstacle yet.

鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about it all month,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淲alking off the court one last time is going to be tough for me. It鈥檒l be an emotional day from the get-go.鈥� 

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