While Scottie Pippen is the most famous name in University of Central Arkansas basketball history, interim Sugar Bear coach Ron Marvel may more relate to Pippen's famous former teammate, Michael Jordan.
Marvel, who retired in 2004 after 24 years and 489 wins as the UCA women's basketball head coach, returned to the Sugar Bear bench in January on an interim basis following the mi-season dismissal of Checola Seals-Horton.
Saturday, at 4 p.m., when the Sugar Bears take on the Lady Demons of Northwestern State in the Farris Center for the season finale, Marvel's run as head coach will conclude again.
As far as he knows.
"Not too many guys get to retire twice," he said. "Me and Michael Jordan are about the only two who have done that. I'm glad to get to the end, but I'm going to miss it. I'm just disappointed I didn't do a little better. I was hoping I could make things better for the kids. And I did make it better but I was hoping for more."
The Sugar Bears (7-21, 5-10 Southland) will be looking to send Marvel out a winner, before new coach Matt Daniel takes over on the sidelines, and avenge a loss to the Lady Demons (14-14, 7-8), who defeated UCA 85-71 in Natchitoches a month ago.
"Everybody wants to win their last game," Marvel said. "Every coach who has ever coached a game want to win their last one. I'm not putting any pressure on the kids to win it, but I hope they do go out there and win. I would love to win my last game."
Marvel wasn't as fortunate in his first retirement, as his team fell 79-77 in the NCAA Division II South Regional to Fort Valley State in the final seconds. At the time, few if any knew it was going to be the legendary coach's final game as he announced his retirement following the season.
"This time is a little different," he said. "Last time, I came home and talked about it for a few days before I made a decision. This time the decision is pretty cut and dry, and we know it's the last time. It's a sad time for me knowing it's the last time I'll be in this office or this dressing room or in this gym as the coach. It's a little bit disappointing.
"But it's been a good thing," he said. "It certainly convinced me I made the right decision when I did retire. But I'm really disappointed in what's happened since I retired, and I certainly would like to see the program get back to where it was."
The Sugar Bears will also be saying goodbye to seniors Allyson Sample and Alex Velazquez, playing their final games in a UCA uniform.
"They're both real good kids and real good competitors," Marvel said.
"Neither one of them are kids who have started a lot; they've both been role players, but they are very competitive and they're super nice with good families, and I wish only the best for them."
Though Sample checks out ranked no lower than seventh on the UCA career 3-pointers made list (one shy of sixth), both she and Velazquez made their most significant contributions away from the offensive end.
"The thing they both excel at is they're both good defensive players," he said. "I built my teams on defense for years, so I appreciate good defense. That's the thing both of these kids have done to help us most."
Sample, who has torn rib cartilage, has missed the last two games and her status for Saturday's game remains in question. Regardless of how many, if any, minutes she plays, Sample will suit up for her 62nd game in a UCA uniform and be recognized prior to the contest.
Velazquez will definitely have one more opportunity to take the court in the Farris Center and add one more positive for the team.
Following a superb defensive performance against Southeastern Louisiana last week, Velazquez will once again be counted upon to stifle the opposing offense - in this case, attempting to slow down NSU's Tena Matthews, who is averaging 18.5 points and 10.9 rebounds a game in SLC play. In the teams' first meeting, Matthews had 23 points and 13 rebounds.
"We've got to slow down 34 (Matthews)," Marvel said. "We've got to rebound better than we did last time and obviously we've got to play better offensively and be more selective with our shots. We took some really bad shots against them the first time."
The Sugar bears shot just 15.4 percent from the 3-point line in the first meeting, while the Lady Demons hit 11 of 25 (44 percent), including knocking down eight in the first half.
