By Matthew Barnes, Sports Editor
On Feb. 14, the Eagles hosted a double-header of hoops against Alice Lloyd College. The “Pack the Luce” plea to campus was widespread, and the Screamin’ Eagles student section was in full force. The students even communicated a “Silent Night” theme, were absolutely quiet until the Eagles scored their tenth point. After that, they went crazy. While every conference game is important, there was an extra motivation to come out with a win for several players; this would be the last regular season home games of their college careers.
The men’s basketball team recognized seven seniors: Trenton Thompson, Clif Conley, Clarien Washington, Deion Cochran, Jack Schmitt, Dave McCorvey and Roshane O’Brian.
Head coach Will Shouse described how much he will miss these players. “I’ve been to Puerto Rico, Rupp Arena, Pittsburgh and several other stops with this group,” said Shouse. “I feel like I’ve traveled the world with these guys. They are very special to me.”
Cochran said that the seniors’ relationship has been pretty consistent since Welcome Week, and he hopes their bond stays strong as years progress.
The men recorded a regular season record of 20-9, which included a 13-5 mark in River States Conference play. These numbers tied the Eagles atop the West division and allowed the team to host a RSC tournament game for the first time in five years.
The squad had a huge victory over Alice Lloyd, winning 92-73, with the seniors accounting for 71 of the 92 points. Cochran and Washington led the way with 16 each.
The women’s team is much younger with one starting senior and only three on the roster. But for Ashlee Rose, Sarah Wood and Victoria Floyd, this game meant more. Unfortunately, they were defeated by Alice Lloyd 81-54, but the three seniors were honored shortly after the game with fellow student athletes.
Despite the loss, Wood felt the night was great. “It was awesome to be surrounded by so much support from friends and family,” said Wood. “Around 16 seniors were recognized, and it was great to share in that moment with my fellow classmates. The last four years have flown, and I’m so glad we all got to experience Asbury athletics together.”
The students shooting hoops weren’t the only ones celebrating senior seasons in the Luce Center. The cheerleading squad has seven seniors: Laura Bird, Hayley Hummel, Monica Mullins, Savannah Thomas, Taylor Tomlin, Rachel Williams and James Jeffrey. All of them lined up on the court between the games to be acknowledged for their hard work rooting on the purple and white.
While the seniors’ playing careers at Asbury may have wound to a close, the legacy they left is sure to endure. “Nobody want[ed] to play us in conference or the tournament, and I think that’s a legacy we definitely wanted to leave,” said Thompson.
