SIUE's Amy Austin discusses the final games of her college career.

Five road games. Four road losses. Need I say more? We hit a very rough patch nearing the end of the regular season and it hurt us a lot. It just seemed like nothing was clicking for us anymore. No one had the killer drive to put teams away and it showed. We are fighting for our lives to even get into the conference tournament and these losses almost squashed every chance we had.

We are still alive though! This past Thursday we played decked out in all of our pink gear in what many other teams around the country participated; “Think Pink” night for finding a cure and raising awareness for breast cancer. We won this game with a total team effort and that killer attitude that we refuse to lose. This was our first (and hopefully not last) win out of three home games and now we MUST win these last two games to even have a chance at making conference.

I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it is knowing that I could have two games left in my career. These past four years have flown before my eyes. I don’t want it to end, and neither do the five other seniors and rest of the underclassmen. We have worked so hard and we are so much better than we are playing. Now it’s time to take care of business and leave it all on the floor because March 1st could be the last time we play together as a team.

On February 28th, we play the eighth-ranked team in the country in what should be an absolute dog fight. We went to the wire with this team at their place earlier in the year and you can guarantee we haven’t forgotten their 4-point play to take the lead and win the game at the buzzer. Then on Saturday, we play Rockhurst and its Senior Day!! I can’t believe it is finally my turn to be announced. I can still remember my last high school home game.

It’s a special day not only for me, but for my coach who has spent the past 29 years guiding and teaching so many players in more ways than just the basketball court. I can’t even put into words how much she, and our assistant coach have meant to me. Giving me the chance to not only play at a tough Division II school, but continue my education here at SIUE. I have had the best of times and will not regret anything I’ve ever done. Wish us luck as we head into our last two regular season games!