NCAA Tournament 2018: 5 overrated teams

3. Wichita State Shockers (4-seed, East Region)

Coming into the 2017-18 season, there was a great deal of buzz about the Wichita State Shockers. They have long been major players in the college basketball world, but were never truly respected as such because of the conference they played in. This year, however, they made the move to the American Athletic Conference. They still showed off their quality as they finished 25-7 overall and with a second-place finish in the regular season conference standings.

However, the selection committee for the 2018 NCAA Tournament may have over-corrected for their past slights of the Shockers. After being a 10-seed one year ago when they deserved to be much higher, they came in on the 4-line this time around. And, frankly, that’s probably a little high given the shortcomings of this team.

Make no mistake, this Wichita State team can score in bunches. They have four players — Landry Shamet, Shaquille Morris, Darral Willis Jr. and Conner Frankamp — who all average double digits in terms of scoring. They are one of the most potent offensive teams in the country and have numerous players that can step up and get points whenever they’re needed. Having said that, the other end of the floor is what makes them overrated.

Wichita State ranks 107th in the country in terms of KenPom’s Adjusted Defensive Efficiency. Only 16 teams out of the entire 68-team tournament field have a worse rating in that metric, and none of those teams are even close to being a No. 4 seed. So, while the Shockers can run you out of the gym with their scoring, their defense is certainly bad enough to allow any team to compete with them.