"Unforgettable . . . That's what you are. Unforgettable."

No one who has followed Penn State basketball over the years will ever forget Freddie Barnes, Monroe Brown and Dave Degitz, or what the senior class has done for the Penn State basketball program.

All the clutch plays. Playing through tendinitis, bruises and sprains. The four consecutive 20-win seasons. The five postseason victories, including an NCAA win over UCLA in 1991 and an NIT Final Four appearance in 1990.

"This is a special class," reminisced Coach Bruce Parkhill. "Just to see the guys gain ability as people, athetically, academically and socially. It's fun to watch that happen to young people."

At 7:30 tonight, Parkhill will sadly watch a Penn State basketball era come to a close. The opponent in this season finale is American, a team the Lions beat 77-65 Dec. 2 in Washington D.C.

And the coach would like nothing more than to see a supportive crowd show up to pay tribute to Barnes, Brown and Degitz, especially as his 20-7 team fights for that fourth postseason trip.

"I don't see any hoopla being a distraction," Parkhill said. "I'm hoping it'll be good for us. It'll speak a lot for the loyalty folks have around here."

It upset Parkhill that his three seniors had to play 16 out of a possible 28 contests on the road, against little-known teams. Without a conference.

Before the season there were rumors that the three seniors would redshirt this year so they could participate in the Lions' first Big Ten season next year. The rumors, though, quickly subsided. The seniors just wanted to play, conference or no conference

"You can't really harp on that," Barnes said. "You take the schedule and make the best of it."

That's exactly what they've done. The backcourt tandem, intact since 1989, continues to mesmerize its opponents, beginning this season at Illinois, and who knows when it will end?

Barnes and Brown even mesmerize in defeat, as at James Madison and Temple. Against Temple, the Lions' all-time assist leader tallied a triple-double, skying for 15-rebounds.

But while dishing off is obviously his strength, Barnes proved that he can also score and rebound. He scored a career high 22-points against the Illini and the 6-foot guard is second on the team in rebounding only to Degitz, averaging 4.7.

On the other side of the floor, Brown has balanced out to be the complete player this season. He overwhelmingly silenced any critics who said he couldn't shoot by banking in 37.7 percent of his 3-pointers.

Feb. 1 he cranked out a career-high 30 points against UMBC. He launched a trey that led to Penn State's 84-79 win at ODU. Brown not only leads the team in scoring at 14.7 ppg, he leads it in blocks at 18 and in steals with 69 for the season.

Degitz, the 6-foot-9-inch center, battled through multiple leg injuries early this season to turn out his most productive offensive season. And he's come on strong, leading the team in scoring over last three games. Degitz leads the team in field-goal percentage at 54.3 percent, and rebounding while scoring 11.7 ppg.

Parkhill said he would like to see these three Lion careers culminate in one of the NCAA tournament's four regions. That, however, won't be known until March 15, when bids are announced. But Brown pleaded the Lions' NCAA case.

"We struggled through a lot of injuries," he said. "For a while, we didn't have the same starting lineup. We've also won nine out of the last 10 games."

"But it's not like we can really snub the NIT," Barnes added.

To the seniors, any kind of postseason would suit them fine.

"That's just great for me," Degitz said. "I just want to play more games anywere," Degitz said.

But after March Madness peters out, the words "graduation" and "work force" will pop into the players' minds.

Graduating players has been a cornerstone of the Penn State basketball program under Parkhill, and the three seniors will follow suit. Barnes and Brown plan to graduate in May. Degitz will receive his diploma during Intersession.

Then the Barnes, Brown and Degitz show will go on, with or without basketball.

"I'm prepared to work 9-to-5," Barnes said.

"I want to play basketball. But if it doesn't work . . . then I'll work," Brown said, laughing.

"I'd really like to play basketball," said Degitz. "Maybe over in Europe. I'd like to see the world."