By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

MACOMB, Ill. — There was a party going on out on the court at Western Hall as Francis Okwuosah sat in the Hall of Fame Room, towel over his head, his college basketball career over.

Western Illinois’ 91-69 loss to Lindenwood on Saturday was the final game of the season for the Leathernecks. They finished 5-26 overall, 1-19 in the Ohio Valley Conference, and didn’t qualify for next week’s conference tournament in Evansville, Indiana.

That meant Senior Day was the final day for the Leathernecks’ seniors and graduate students, and for Okwuosah, it was the end of a long journey.

Okwuosah, from Powder Springs, Georgia, started his career at Iowa Wesleyan University, but had to find a new home when the university closed in May, 2023. He played three seasons at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri, where he was a first-team all-conference selection and the team’s most valuable player in 2024.

He had one more year of eligibility he could use, and so he transferred to Western Illinois, where he could play one season of NCAA Division I basketball.

As Western Illinois’ women’s basketball team celebrated their OVC regular-season title out on the court, Okwuosah was asked what was next for him as his team’s season had come to an end.

“It’s been wild,” Okwuosah said. “It’s just been trusting in God’s plan. Coming from playing in one of the biggest high schools in Georgia, not being recruited, taking a chance with one coach to go in the middle of nowhere to Iowa. It’s just been a wild ride.”

Antwaun Massey had his own journey. Massey, who grew up in Olathe, Kansas, played two seasons at New Mexico Junior College before playing last season at Southern Illinois.

“I’m just blessed,” Massey said. “That’s really all I can say. I’m glad I got the opportunity to play and just go out like that.”

Massey had 15 points and Okwuosah had 10 in their final games, a game that was frustrating as so many of the others this season for the Leathernecks, who lost six of their first seven games and never were able to gather any momentum.

They fell behind 50-28 in the first half of this one, and although they matched Lindenwood (17-14, 11-9) point for point in the second half, it was the final loss in a season full of them.

Western Illinois coach Chad Boudreau shared his seniors’ frustration.

“The seniors have been great,” he said. “They did what I asked of them, and I think maybe I asked them to do a little too much. If a couple of more pieces could have fallen our way in recruiting, there wouldn’t have been so much pressure on some of these guys.”

“This season was worse than we expected,” Massey said. “But there were a lot of teaching points. I’m sure everybody learned something from this year, coaches included, down to the players that didn’t even play. From practice to every game, everybody got better.”

“A lot of struggle, a lot of learning, but God doesn’t put you through that for no reason,” Okwuosah said. “You’ve got to go through trials and tribulations, the losses and failures, and just learn from it.”

Danny Stephens, one of the young players who could return to the Leathernecks last season, led them with 18 points.

The goodbyes hurt.

“They’re all good players,” Boudreau said. “They’re all great people. And I wish them nothing but the best.”

“Again, just a blessing to be here,” Massey said. “It was really good. Got to be with a good group of guys, make good friends, build good connections.”

“Like Twaun said, blessed to be here,” Okwuosah said.

Okwuosah knew what he was going to do next.

“Just reflect, pray, ask God what His next step is for me, and take it from there,” he said. “I’ve got a lot to think about, got a lot to process, a lot of things to work through, and then just pray about it. God will find me another path. He’ll find me another way to go.”