Arnzen's last stand

It hasn't really hit him yet.

But before the day's over, Ed Arnzen will experience the feeling of walking onto the Show Me Center floor as a coach for the final time.

Arnzen is winding down a 36-year coaching career, 19 of them as head coach of the Southeast Missouri State University women's basketball team. Two games remain, including his final home game at 7 p.m. today against Eastern Illinois.

Admission is free as part of Ed Arnzen Appreciation Night.

"I think when the final buzzer goes off and I look up at the scoreboard, if we're ahead I'll be happy and if we're behind I'll be sad like any other game," Arnzen said.

For now, though, he's trying to keep himself and the team focused on the last two regular season games, tonight's home contest against Eastern Illinois and Saturday's final game at Austin Peay. The Otahkians (14-11, 6-8) play in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament on Feb. 26.

"We've still got a lot of basketball left," Arnzen said.

But the clock is ticking on Arnzen's coaching career, which includes a nine-year run at Notre Dame Regional High School (175-58) and a 338-201 record at Southeast.

"The final game of the season will be the most emotional," Arnzen said. "When I walk off that floor for the last time and we're beaten, then I'll know it's over.

"I'm always emotional with our seniors because I know it's their last time around. This time I'm one of the seniors. I don't know how I'm going to react to that. It'll be difficult, I know that."

Arnzen said he will most miss the distinct personalities of the players.

"I've had a chance to play and meet some great kids," Arnzen said. "We've had so many young men and women who became excellent people as they grew up and hopefully I may have had a little part in that.

"I'm also going to miss the associations with the other coaches, particularly in our conference. I'm going to miss that camaraderie, I know."

Arnzen's players say they will miss him just as much.

"I couldn't have asked for a better coach or a better person to be my coach," senior co-captain Veronica Benson said. "We really want to win this last home game for coach and finish the season strong."

Arnzen, who turned 59 on Sunday, says 36 years in coaching is enough, although pastimes like hunting, fishing and golfing aren't all he plans to spend his time on. He said he still wants to work at a job away from coaching.

As for a perfect retirement gift, Arnzen already has one in mind.

"If we could get to the final four of our conference," Arnzen said, "that would be a perfect ending. Just to be able to get there, then I'll take our chances once we get there."

Nothing would please his players more, either.

"We'll just play our hearts out for him to the end," senior Cindy Bates said. "A conference championship would be excellent."

Battle for fifth

Southeast moved into sole possession of fifth place in the nine-team OVC after beating Murray State 72-64 on Saturday, but the Otahkians need a victory tonight to retain their position.

Eastern Illinois (6-18, 5-8) jumped into sixth place by defeating Tennessee-Martin 66-63 on Saturday. The Otahkians and Panthers have both won two straight.

The Panthers are led by one of the OVC's top scorers in sophomore center Pam O'Connor (18.4 ppg).

For Southeast, three seniors will play their final home game tonight: Benson, fellow co-captain Pam Iversen and Bates.

Iversen, a four-year starter at center, recently became the second Otahkian ever to record at least 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, 150 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocked shots in a career. She ranks ninth on the school's career scoring list, fourth in rebounding and second in blocks.

Benson, a junior-college transfer, has been a two-year starter at guard. Bates, also a juco transfer, has seen action in a reserve role at center the past two seasons.

llewis@semissourian.com

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