Tomorrow is senior day for the Penn State men's basketball team.

Those who can actually name both seniors being honored at the Bryce Jordan Center should count themselves among the minority.

While most could name Ndu Egekeze, who is in his fifth year with the program, fewer would remember Rob Fletcher, a seldom-used walk-on who has seen minutes this season mainly because there's no one else to take them.

But tomorrow at the Bryce Jordan Center, the spotlight will shine on both players as the Nittany Lions (9-15, 3-10 Big Ten) take on Michigan State (16-9, 10-3) in the season's home finale.

Egekeze will regain his spot in the starting lineup for the game and Fletcher will see the first start of his career, Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said.

"They're both good guys," DeChellis said. "They work real hard -- academically and basketball-wise -- and are dedicated to the program."

Tomorrow will be an especially rewarding game for Egekeze because his mother, Uzoma, will see him play a game in State College for the first time.

Egekeze flashed a bright smile when asked how important it is for his mother to see his last home game.

"It means a lot," he said. "I'm extremely excited."

Egekeze has seen a career-high 22.3 minutes a game this season despite a nagging foot injury that has limited him in recent weeks.

Being the only remaining member of Penn State's 2001 Sweet 16 team has given him an added role as a team leader.

Fletcher has never played more than seven minutes in a game before, and his career-high three points came, appropriately enough, in the season's earlier meeting with the Spartans.

Five years ago, this senior day would have looked much different. Instead of a single scholarship player and a walk-on being honored, the Lions were supposed to celebrate the careers of four players: Egekeze, Sharif Chambliss, Jamaal Tate and Marcus Banta.

Banta was the first to leave, in May of 2001, because of academic issues. Tate cited personal problems when he took a leave of absence near the start of last season, from which he never returned.

Sharif Chambliss left before this current season, transferring to Wisconsin.

Now, as the only remaining member of the recruiting class, Egekeze credits his mother as a main reason why he has stuck with the Lions.

"It's a tribute to my mom," he said. "She told me to stick it through. I'm most proud of just sticking it through. There was a time where I was thinking I wouldn't be here."

The goal now is to send the seniors off with a victory, something the Lions were able to do last season with a regular-season home finale win over Indiana.

"I want for them to leave on a positive note," freshman guard Marlon Smith said. "We all want to send them out of the Jordan Center with a win."