It can be hard to remember the whole of a season when it just ended with disappointment. For Wichita State, the image of Vanderbilt scoring as the buzzer sounded after the basketball inbounds equivalent of Doug Flutie to Gerard Phelan to win their NIT third-round game will be a lasting one, one that will likely be the first thing fans think of the 2004-05 campaign.

But the Shockers also had some great moments this season, jumping out to an 18-3 record and winning two games in the NIT to reach the contest with Vanderbilt.

The losses will be remembered more, though: the 1-5 slump that took WSU out of the lead in the Missouri Valley, the semifinal loss to Creighton in the MVC tournament, and the setback to Vanderbilt after the Shockers had rallied to tie the contest.

"I'm going to think back to all the exciting games," Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon said. "I'm going to think about being 18-3, and being ranked 26th in the poll. I'm going to think about a great blend of seniors and young kids and what a fun team it was to coach because they always did what you asked.

"I thought we were resilient, but there were so many ups and downs. We had some heartbreaks. Obviously we picked a bad time not to play our best basketball. We were tough, but the consistency wasn't always there."

The final record will show the Shockers were 22-10, but it won't tell the story of the incredible run at the beginning of the season or the slump the team hit near the end of the season.

THE GOOD NEWS: Coach Mark Turgeon isn't going anywhere after getting a three-year contract extension. Center Paul Miller returns after averaging 10.9 ppg in 2004-05, giving the Shockers an anchor for their middle.

THE BAD NEWS: Miller will be the only double-figure scorer returning from this year's squad, and one of only two starters back for the Shockers. Four-year starters Jamar Howard, Randy Burns and Rob Kampman won't be around for Wichita State to lean on anymore.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Those guys aren't going to be the second fiddles anymore. I don't care who we bring in, the No. 1 things we have to do is develop the guys coming back." -- Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon on the Shockers reserves who will become main players in 2005-06.

KEY RETURNEES: Paul Miller averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 2004-05. He'll be counted on to up those numbers in 2005-06, when he's the only senior on the squad. Adam Liberty led the Shockers with 2.9 assists a game, starting all 32 contests. Wichita State will welcome his leadership to guide the younger players the team will be playing.

THE COACH: Mark Turgeon has the Shockers improving every season, and he got a three-year contract extension for his work. But now Turgeon has to get along without many of the experienced players who have been his main cogs the past few years. He'll definitely earn his money even more in 2005-06.

ROSTER REPORT: Freshman PJ Cousinard earned some starts at the end of the season, and the Shockers are definitely making plans for him to have an even bigger role in 2005-06. Cousinard averaged 9.6 points and 7.6 rebounds in three starts during the NIT, including a double-double against Western Kentucky.

-- Sean Ogirri is another player who will be counted on for much more in 2005-06. Ogirri needs to add some strength so he can finish in traffic better. Look for a big jump in scoring for Ogirri next season.