Saturday night had to be bittersweet for Texas Tech guard Chance McMillian. On one hand, it had to be disappointing for him to see his college career come to an end in his hometown. However, the fact that he was finally able to play in front of his friends and family after missing the previous four games with an abdominal injury was a blessing.
In Tech's 84-79 loss to No. 1 seed Florida in the Elite Eight, the senior was 5-11 from the floor for 14 points in 28 minutes off the bench. He wound up being Tech's third-leading scorer and the third Red Raider in double figures, joining Darrion Williams (23 points) and JT Toppin (20 points).
However, according to Texas Tech head coach, Grant McCasland, McMillian's most important contribution was simply his willingness to fight through an injury to try to help his teammates win.
"I wanted to sit in that locker room forever, honestly," he said. "I don't know. You get in these moments, and a lot has happened in a short amount of time because the game has a scoreboard. But in my heart, what Chance McMillian did today just doesn't have anything to do with the score; it just has everything to do with what I want to live my life like.
"He's obviously in a situation where he probably could have not come back. And I told these guys in the locker room, there's something about laying down your life for your brothers in a position where you could take, I don't know, just the path that is easier, and Chance didn't. I'm so inspired by him. And because of him I do believe our program is different forever.
"These guys won the most road games in the Big 12 for the Red Raiders. Won the most conference games in the Big 12 for the Red Raiders. And they just were like always finding ways to win games through tough circumstances.
"I think Chance's heart and will to win really was the difference. And the way he competed tonight is so inspiring. I'm so thankful.
"And I think the two other guys over there, Darrion Williams and JT Toppin, have been remarkable. And I hate that we aren't continuing to play because I know these guys love each other. And the way Chance prepared gave us hope we could win the whole thing."
McMillian could have easily stayed on the sidelines Saturday night. No one would have faulted him for being cautious with a painful oblique injury, after all.
However, he gutted through the pain and gave his team a valiant effort. That wasn't lost on his head coach, who talked about the process that McMillian went through just to be able to play on Saturday night.
"He is diligent and he's focused," he said. "And to me, I did not think he was going to really play. I went into the game thinking he would play maybe a couple minutes if we had him. But he warmed up and the whole staff was like, let's put him in there early and see how he does.
"Man, it's almost miraculous what he was trying to do, really. And we didn't win the game. So it doesn't have the same thrill for everybody to write stories, but to me in my heart it doesn't change anything.
"I mean, what he was willing to sacrifice for the guys to put himself in position, I don't think anybody really understands it. In my heart and in our guys' hearts, they know he loved them that much that he was willing to do whatever.
"You know, there's not many times you get to see guys do that. And he did.
"And that's how he lives his life. And that's how he approached the whole season. That's how he was every day. It's not today. It's how he is every day.
"That's why we got the opportunity to be in the Elite Eight. And it does hurt that we couldn't win it and give him another opportunity to compete."
In McMillian's two seasons as a Red Raider, he averaged 12.4 points in 63 games. What's more, he became a leader who helped set the tone for McCasland's first two seasons in Lubbock and it is obvious how much he will always mean to his college head coach.