On a K-State women's basketball team without any seniors in the starting lineup, it's easy to lean on a few clichés when Senior Night rolls around.
Ashley Ray and Sydney Goodson have brought more to this program than what might show up in the box score.
Sure, there's some truth to that. But it also doesn't tell the whole story.
Take Ray - she's averaging about six minutes a game and sharing backup center minutes with freshman Taylor Lauterbach. Ask anyone who attended a game at Bramlage Coliseum this season and no player "shows up" more than Ashley Ray.
Every game usually includes a chest bump with her roommate Rachel Ranke in warmups. Then Ray leads the pregame huddle, the last voice her teammates hear before every game begins.
On a surgically repaired right knee, she came off the bench in 20 games this season, always talking and always doing her best to keep every member of the Wildcats locked in.
"Ashley is a positive person 24/7. She's always talking, she's a great friend and the kind of person who is going to love you no matter what," Christianna Carr said. "No matter what your skin color is or what your favorite color is, she's going to love you. She connects with people."
Endless passion and 💜 for the 'Cats
Thank you, @Ashley_Nycole33#KStateWBB x Senior Night pic.twitter.com/EgvQTpsj1X
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 4, 2021
Ray subbed in for the final time when West Virginia pulled away late, as the Wildcats saw their three-game winning streak at Bramlage Coliseum snapped in a 72-64 loss to the Mountaineers.
She spoke to the crowd after her final game in Manhattan, the only four-year senior on this K-State team.
"I'm not anticipating crying, but if I do, mind your business," she said. "I know the past year has been hectic with COVID, but you guys have shown up rain or shine. I can't thank you enough."
When Ray handed the microphone to her teammate, Goodson had an entirely different challenge – talking about a team and a community she got to know during just one season.
Goodson arrived in Manhattan as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech. Her only year as a Wildcat has featured reduced capacity crowds, nagging injuries and a 30-day pause to the season in January due to COVID-19 precautions around the program.
It was an unusual introduction to K-State and a less than ideal season for Goodson to make an impact on K-State Women's Basketball, with social distancing protocols throughout her time in purple.
Jeff Mittie called her a "unifier" who hasn't had much of a chance to unify, a word that Carr echoed after the West Virginia game on Wednesday night.
"As soon as Sydney stepped on campus, you saw our team come together a lot more. Sydney brings unity to our team," she said. "I think that's something we needed."
A special kid, with a big 💜
Thank you, @sydneygoodson2#KStateWBB x Senior Night pic.twitter.com/SGU8LS3Pb3
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) March 4, 2021
Goodson's head coach recalled how during Shark Week on Discovery Channel, his point guard wanted to do something with the whole team – "Syd loves sharks" – but COVID-19 made it impossible for the Wildcats to organize a team activity.
So, it felt appropriate that in her final game at Bramlage Coliseum, Goodson was a unifier in the one place in Manhattan where she was still allowed to bring her teammates together.
She didn't start against West Virginia but checked into the game almost immediately after the Wildcats needed a boost on offense. She ended up playing 32 minutes on Wednesday night.
Goodson finished with seven points, four rebounds and forced a tie-up when she faked out the Mountaineers on an inbounds pass, something she usually attempts at least once a game.
"You can probably tell what a team favorite she is [because of] her attitude every day. She's a great role model," Mittie said. "She's going to be a coach and she'll be a great one."
Though Goodson admitted she forgot most of what she was planning to say after the game, she delivered a heartfelt message from a player who has made the most out of her time in Manhattan.
"I'm so thankful to this team and this coaching staff for believing in me," she said. "This team, you guys know you mean the freaking absolute world to me…I'll be a Wildcat for life."
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March 04, 2021 at 07:03PM
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