By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University 6-foot-8 senior standout Andrew Orr knows there's nothing he can do about the fact that his outstanding college basketball career will come to an end this week in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight championships in Evansville, Ind.
Washburn senior star Andrew Orr hoists the NCAA Central Regional trophy after scoring 17 points in his final home game. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the one thing that Orr has done is make sure he cherishes each and every moment he has left with his beloved Ichabods.
"I've been trying to think about it since we were told we were going to host the region,'' Orr said. "That's when I kind of came to terms with the fact that this is my last go around. (I knew) these were going to be my last couple of practices in Lee, these were going to be our last games in Lee, so it made me not only appreciate what I've done but appreciate what there was still to come.
''These last three (Central Regional) games were the most attended games that I've ever played in in Lee, so to do that and to really take it all in and soak it all in before the games I feel like I've had that opportunity and I feel super blessed to have seen that ahead of time and not look back in the future and be like, 'I should have taken it in.' ''
Orr plans to continue to take everything in as the No. 4-seeded Ichabods begin what they hope will begin a three-game run in the Elite Eight, beginning with Tuesday night's 8:30 p.m. quarterfinal against No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne (29-5).
Orr, an All-Central Region all-tourney pick, ranks 10th in the nation in field goal percentage at 64.4 percent, which leads the MIAA, while averaging 14.1 points and 4.0 rebounds and shooting 84.4 percent from the free throw line (92 of 109).
A Class 6A state champion at Blue Valley North, Orr became the 28th member of the Ichabod 1,000 point club with a free throw at Fort Hays State earlier in the season and now has 1,338 career points, sitting in 12th on WU's all-time scoring list.
Orr also recently became the 13th member of the Ichabod 1,000-point/500-rebound club and said in many ways it seems as if his days at Washburn have flown by.
"To be honest, it feels like I just moved out of the freshman dorms the other day,'' Orr said.
But Orr also knows he's made memories that will last a lifetime.
"Especially at Washburn, you're able to build these meaningful relationships and these meaningful bonds and friendships with your teammates and it's something that's going to last forever,'' he said. "It's not just something that lasts right now.''
