Saturday is a big day for the Washington University men’s basketball team. If the Bears do not defeat the University of Chicago, the University Athletic Association title is lost, and so is the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Oh well, there’s always next year, right?

Well, not for seniors Jonathan Breshears, Nick Nikitas, and Ray Wagner. The three seniors will be honored before tip-off Saturday in what could be their last games in a Wash. U. uniform.

This year’s squad features sophomore stars Sean Wallis and Tyler Nading, and junior big man Troy Ruths. The trio handles the bulk of the scoring load for the Bears, which leaves very little room for the seniors to make an impact on the box score. Each senior, though, has a clear and defined role that all three have willingly accepted.

Nikitas, originally from a suburb of Chicago, transferred to Wash. U. in the fall of 2005. He has been a member of the basketball team for two years and has been a regular starter.

Nikitas has averaged six points and three rebounds in 21 minutes per game this season. As a versatile forward, he causes match-up problems for bigger players who are not accustomed to guarding the outside shot. He stretches the defense and eases the load for the other starters.

“Nick’s role is really important because teams focus so much on Sean, Tyler and Troy,” Wagner said. “He takes the pressure off our three main scorers. It makes the defense honest.”

“[Traditional post players] are used to sagging off and playing inside. Nick can make you play with the three, which is a big part of his game,” added Breshears.

Earlier this season, Nikitas scored a career-high 19 points in a key home victory over the University of Rochester. He shot five of nine from the field, including three of five from beyond the arch.

Wagner, a Lebanon, Ill. native, transferred to Washington University three years ago. This season, Wagner has served as Wallis’ backup at point guard and has received about six minutes per game of playing time. However, he leads the practice squad and feels responsible to push the first team. During the games, Wagner performs various duties from the bench.

“I’m a bench leader. I help [the team] recognize things on the floor,” Wagner said. “I’m also staying ready so that when Sean needs a break, or if the team needs me in general, I’m ready to go. [On the court] I just try to be a smart player.”

Earlier this season, the Red and Green battled Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. and clung to a 76-73 with four seconds to go. Nading was having trouble seeing after his contacts were knocked out, and Wagner was called upon to step in. He went to the foul line and converted two crucial free throws to secure the victory.

“You never know where you’re going to get an opportunity to contribute and make a positive impact on the team,” Ray acknowledged. “That it happened at that point in the game, it was great, but if it happened in the first half, I would have done the same. It’s just a matter of stepping up.”

Breshears has spent all four years of his collegiate basketball career at Wash. U. Last season, the center averaged three points in 11 minutes of action per game. But three of his four seasons on the team have been cut short due to injury. This season, he suffered a sidelining knee injury.

“It’s frustrating and disappointing,” Breshears admitted. “But you can’t really do anything about it. It’s just like coach [Edwards] always says to me, ‘that’s life.’ I have to take what I have and make the best of it.”

When Breshears is on the court, he lets his presence be known, as his physical play rarely goes unnoticed.

“You know when he’s out there,” Wagner said. “You have to be on your game, or else you’re going to get nailed somewhere along the line if you’re not watching out. He’s going to hit you with a screen.”

When asked to recall his most memorable moment on the court, Breshears brought up a play that exemplifies his physical, gritty style. Last season against eventual league champion Carnegie Mellon, he set a screen on the opponent guarding Wash. U.’s then-leading scorer, Scott Stone. The defender didn’t know what hit him.

“That was the best screen that I have ever set,” Breshears said. “He was like a grease spot on the floor. It was awesome.”

Off the court, Breshears leads the team in the training room. He brings intensity and pushes everyone’s limits.

“We were all toothpicks before [Breshears] got to us,” Wagner joked.

The seniors’ only goal is to help the team win. They do not worry about individual accolades or box scores, and always keep the team in mind.

“I’ve been on teams where there are stars that you don’t get along with, and they think they’re better than the team,” Nikitas said. “That’s not the case here. We’re a team first and it’s not about a bunch of individuals. Everybody wants everyone else to succeed.”

Even though Breshears’ injuries have had a devastating effect on his career, he looks at the bigger picture and keeps the team in mind first and foremost.

“[My injury] was a great opportunity for some of our freshmen,” Breshears said. “They were able to get a lot of exposure and help the team out in the long run.”

The seniors balked at the idea of having ill thoughts about being given limited playing time or the underclassmen dominated the team.

“When [Sean] does well, I’m really proud to think that I’ve been playing well against him and made him better. We’re like brothers. When somebody does well, we don’t resent them for it. We love them for it. We’re happy for them, just like they’re happy for you when you do well,” said Wagner.

The players do have competitive spirits, though.

“We definitely compete. Troy is one of my best friends, but we definitely have gotten into it on the floor,” Breshears asserted. “We’re going to make those top guys be sharp, or we’re going to step up and do it ourselves. This is all part of Coach Edwards’ ‘nature of competition.’”

The squad is an even closer unit off the court. Many of the seniors’ best memories have come on the numerous road trips the team takes each season.

“Going to cities like New York and Boston, [the coaches] realize we’re playing basketball, but also having an experience at the same time,” Nikitas said. “The opportunity we get, not many Division III schools get.”

Although Saturday’s game against Chicago is officially Senior day, the trio has a good chance of suiting up again. If the Bears win, the team will receive the UAA’s only automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, and it has an outside chance of hosting regional games. If the team loses, there is still a strong chance that it would receive an at-large bid to compete in the postseason.

“That’s the way we want it. We don’t want it being up to the basketball gods. We want it to be up to us,” Wagner emphasized. “It’s kind of laid out for us and it’s just a matter for us to take it the whole way.”

Nikitas continued: “This being our last chance Saturday, it’s definitely a big game, and I’m hoping my best moment at Wash. U. will come either that day, or hopefully, three weeks past that in the playoffs,” he said, alluding to the possibility of advancing to the Final Four.

Next year, Nikitas will move to Chicago to pursue a career in banking, while Wagner expects to stay in St. Louis as a financial or strategic analyst. Breshears, a bio-medical engineering major, looks to continue his studies, as he was recently accepted into medical school.

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