Seniors say goodbye

The IU men's basketball team is going to end its Big Ten season playing the same Wisconsin team it opened against -- and lost to by 34 points Jan. 6.\nIt's a game senior center George Leach didn't even want to talk about after IU's win over Michigan Wednesday night. The game will be one of the most emotional nights of his basketball career, playing for the last time in Assembly Hall.\n"Nobody wants to play in their final home game," Leach said. "Of course it will be sad."\nIU's other senior to see action in Assembly Hall for the last time is forward A.J. Moye. Moye said he wishes he could play at Indiana for ten more years.\n"I wish it was like the NBA or something," Moye said. "I love this crowd, man. I think they just respect my heart and my effort."\nLeach and Moye said they know the night will be emotional, but their greatest concern right now is giving Indiana (13-13, 7-8 Big Ten) a win over Wisconsin (20-6, 11-4). \nDavis said the team will have to come out and play good basketball and it being the senior's last home game could be good or bad for their play on the court.\n"Sometimes you want to play so well in your last game that you end up going in the opposite direction," Davis said. "They just need to come out and play with energy and emotion and really good concentration."\nMoye averages 9.5 points per game, while Leach averages 8.7. \nIn Wednesday's victory over Michigan, Moye had a career-high 15 rebounds, and Leach tied his career-high seven blocks.\nDavis said he has seen the two go through ups and downs throughout their careers at IU.\n"I don't think either guy played over a 15-minute role in this system, and this year they've had to play a lot of minutes," Davis said. "This is their first time, as seniors, playing this type of role. We just try to make sure they continue to grow and improve game by game."\nLeach and Moye have spent four years together growing game by game, and they each have one game that sticks out in their memories more than any other -- IU's miracle win over Duke in the 2002 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.\nMoye said the Duke game was unbelievable and he's never been with a team with more of a will to win.\n"We never looked at the score, and we never panicked," Moye said. "I've never felt more unified with a team in all my life."\nBesides the Duke game, Leach said he remembers when he and Moye were the small guys on the team and that now, as seniors, it's weird to look back and see how they have grown together.\nAlthough both seniors, Leach sees Moye as an inspiration to his game.\n"He rebounds the way I want to rebound," Leach said. "He has the heart that I want to have sometimes. It is good to have that and play with a guy like that."\nLeach and Moye both know a lot is riding on Saturday's game. It could mean a bye in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament if they beat Wisconsin at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.\nWin or lose, it will be an emotional day for the two seniors saying good-bye to the many games played in Assembly Hall. \nLeach said he looks forward to verbally thanking the crowd and coaches who have helped him through his years playing at IU but the most important thing Saturday is that the team comes away with a win.\n"We've got a game to play and a game to try and win on Saturday, so that's what I'm focusing on now," Leach said. "Then, after the tournament, I'll think about it and reminisce. But right now, I'm focusing on these games coming up."\n-- Contact staff writer Natalie A. Trout at natrout@indiana.edu.