Shock and Awe.

Forget Memphis missing two free throws with no time on the clock to lose their conference tournament. Who cares what Vermont did to Syracuse, that everyone was surprised to learn Wisconsin-Milwaukee had a basketball program or how West Virginia outpunched Wake in double-overtime. The best game of the tournament season played yet?

The one last night in the NIT.

The Wichita State Shockers played Vanderbilt in Nashville on a court that still freaks us out every time we see it. Team benches aren't on the sidelines but rather on the baseline under each basket and the court itself literally sits above portions of the crown and press row. We're telling you. Freaky.

Anyway, some local Vandy kid named Mario Moore, who typically averages 12 points a game, decided at the absolute worst time in the season to break out and knock down a career-high 31 points. He scored 12 of Vandy's last 14 points and even the Shocks were caught laughing as his point total contintued to rise.

But WSU's Sean Ogirri (last year's High School Player of the Year in Colorado, not Steve Augeri, Journey's new frontman who replaced Steve Perry) hit a pair of threes in the last minute to keep the Shockers in the game. Down by three with less than 30 seconds left, Ogirri was fouled. Smart play, actually. Send him to the line to shoot two instead of giving him a chance to nail his third three in just over a minute. Ogirri made the first one and then, in one of the hardest plays to pull off in all of basketball, he purposefully missed the second free throw. Teammate Jamar Howard converted the offensive rebound with 0.7 seconds left to tie the game up at 63.

Vandy then threw a Hail-Mary pass the length of the court to an open Corey Smith, who seemed as surprised to find himself open under the basket as we did. He hit a miracle lay-up with less than a freakin' second left on the clock; even our screams of "oh shiiiiiiitttttt!" at the television didn't break his concentration and he made the easiest bucket of the night when it counted most. And like that, the Shocks passed the Hawks on "What The Hell?" Highway as they drove back home after the game.

On a brighter note, the Shocks finished the season a respectable 22-10 and played in the most exciting game of the season. A young crop of talented freshman, along with a rejuvenated fan base, points to future fortunes in the coming years. Their only concern now should be keeping their young coach Mark Turgeon in town under contract long enough to finish the job.