WARNER — It was a break, something that felt as close to normal for Bill Muse and Bill Muse Jr. since ending the first semester of basketball season with a win at Mid-America Christian University Dec. 4.

Eight days later, Connie Muse, wife and mother of the above, respectively, died unexpectedly at her home. On Monday, a little less than a week since Connors State players reported back to their head coach and assistant coach to resume the season and a new semester, they played a game.

It was a night Connors State alumni, students, faculty, fans and players paid tribute to "Momma Muse," a lady at the core of this program and had served as such since marrying a brash young coach out of New Jersey who arrived on campus 33 years ago.

Dr. Donnie Nero, who was president from 2000-2011, called Connie Muse a cog "in a well-oiled machine."

"When Bill was down she was the one lifting him up," he said. "A lot of the kids they've taken in here have come here minus a home life. Connie filled that void and took these kids by the hand like they were her own. Without her, I would say a lot of them probably wouldn't have made it through two years here. She had that kind of impact."

Nero was president when Bill Muse Jr., who played for his dad at Connors before finishing his basketball career at Coastal Carolina, returned as an assistant.

"I thought it was a perfect fit and it was," Nero said.

And in a day full of emotion, there was the man known as Junior, being the lone assistant, going through much of the deep grind of the pre-game preparation.

"I'm trying to do this for everybody — players, my dad, the people here supporting us," Junior said, focusing on the task at hand.

Back in his office, Senior tried to focus against the most tremendous distraction he'd ever faced.

"For an hour or so," he said. "At one time I looked up at the seat she was always in and not there for support…"

The campus replaced that chair with one bearing her name in her spot near the top of the bleachers. It sat empty between a couple of folks, its bright orange color making it stand out against the color of other reserved seats. Fans were given bracelets with her name on them. The team wore t-shirts with "This One's for Momma Muse" on the back, and bore a patch with her initials on their jerseys.

Senior had thought about not coaching, at least a game. "But I couldn't let Junior handle this alone. He's going through his own pain for his mom," he said.

Junior handled the pregame talk — going over the scouting report, talking about having fun and playing hard.

"Our players have been the rock in this," Junior said later. "They've been awesome for us."

Grieving themselves was a new team after graduation and other departures erased what reached the 2024 NJCAA Final Four and barely missed a spot in the national championship game.

Rev. Leroy Walker is the team chaplain and pastor of Rayfield Baptist Church in Muskogee. He met them on return to campus and then had them for what has become a once-a-month trip to his church from campus for the team.

Walker said he offered them this encouragement.

"I believe in God's divine providence and they are the right team for this moment," he said. "I think with them, we'll see something very unique at a divine point in their lives."

Walker laughed at the memories he had of Connie Muse, looking down at her husband and son, and saying to him, "look at my boys mimicking each other," mannerisms passed from imitation or maybe even genetics, now working the same job.

"Connie was a living testimony of what a person should be like," Walker said. "She just loved the kids coming through here and was the same everywhere you saw her. Our hearts ache, but God brings us to this point, to get us to the next point, and as much as I love them, as I told all of them, they just got to trust God to get them through this."

John Woods played for Muse Sr. on the 1996 NJCAA Final Four team before moving on to the University of Missouri. He attends 3-4 games a year driving up from his home in McKinney, Texas.

"When (Muse Sr.) called and told me I had to pull over on the side of the road because it hit me like a ton of bricks," Woods said. "He was like a father figure to me, so I wanted to be there for him tonight.

"I think back to my time here and Connie was pregnant with Junior. I just told them it's going to get better in time. You have to let God take care of things a step at a time."

Connors lost for only the second time in 13 games, cutting the margin to two late in the game after trailing much of it by double figures. Western has won 12 of 13.

It was a day of strained emotional rehabilitation to the heart, soul and mind of everyone.

"Practice has been hard," said Tulsa Edison freshman Jermiah Johnson. "They're both very emotional right now and as a team we just play to lead, to be the best we can and help them out. Momma Muse was someone who welcomed me with open arms and it was a sign I wanted to be here in the first place. We just want to fight and win for them. We just came up short tonight."

The man at the helm of the Cowboy program said this in his office after the game.

"It's tough losing, it's not what those guys wanted, but life itself is more important than winning or losing a game," he said.

"I've certainly learned that over the last 3-4 weeks."

It's a perspective that might medicate the pains of emotional rehabilitation as the Cowboys face a season ahead like no other.