Longest bench in basketball

The Citadel has only two Senior Day honorees, less than the national average. But there is no shortage of contributors worthy of fan appreciation today when the Bulldogs play UNC Greensboro at McAlister Field House.

Head coach Ed Conroy's team once again has overachieved, and a big reason is nearly double the depth found on most college basketball rosters.

With 24 players, The Citadel team picture requires a wide-angle lens.

Building the Bulldogs' bench is a carpenter's nightmare. Or a dream come true for 12 walk-on players on a 15-12 team with five straight wins.

"There's a lot of encouragement during the game," said senior walk-on guard Zach Beach. "Everybody on our team knows how we've scouted the other teams. That's twice as many voices you hear when you're on the court. That just makes our advantage even bigger."

It's a unique, crowded, spirited locker room in the sport -- by Conroy design.

When the coach says "24," he is not talking about a Kiefer Sutherland character chasing bad guys in real time.

"I guess I've bought a few extra Subway sandwiches over the years," Conroy said, "and maybe paid for an extra hotel room here and there. But the payoff has been unbelievable."

Citadel players not on the court serve as cheerleaders, scouts and prospects, often all rolled into one bundle of support.

Former walk-on John Brown broke into The Citadel's starting lineup and was one of the Bulldogs' best players last season before transferring to Roane State Community College in Tennessee. Freshman walk-on Ben Cherry has played in 17 games this season and made three clutch 3-point shots on Feb. 4 in a 61-57 victory over Samford.

Nebraska football

Conroy, raised hard by the Nebraska border in Davenport, Iowa, developed his walk-on idea after studying Tom Osborne's Nebraska football program and Tom Davis' Iowa basketball program, both famously walk-on friendly.

"Growing up in the Midwest, you would see guys who wanted to pursue that dream and take on that challenge," Conroy said. "They would get in the weight room and end up contributing."

His walk-on theories were seconded by Les Robinson, who recruited Conroy to play at The Citadel and, as Citadel athletic director, hired Conroy as head coach. Robinson liked adding walk-ons during his days as a Citadel head coach. Robinson and Conroy admired the way former North Carolina head coach Dean Smith plucked walk-ons from the Tar Heels' junior varsity team.

"That JV team was so important to Coach Smith," Conroy pointed out, "that he had guys like Roy Williams coaching it."

Not all Citadel walk-ons are created equal. Some are at the end of the bench. Some sit behind the bench. Most do not go on road trips because of NCAA travel restrictions.

Some play vital roles.

"Guys like John Reynolds, Daniel Eykyn and Phillip Pandak, they're not just on the team," Conroy said. "They're leaders."

Not all Citadel players deep on the bench are walk-ons. Redshirt freshman forward Tristan Tremblay of Montreal welcomes his role.

"Even though I don't play, I am trying to contribute my way," Tremblay said. "I'm trying to cheer, trying to bring energy on the bench, trying to do the little things it takes to help us win. Right now, that's my role."

Beach music

Beach fits the typical walk-on mold. An all-region player at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, the 5-10 cadet stood out for his hustle at his first Citadel walk-on tryout.

He was cut.

"But Zach just kept shooting at the gym over in Deas Hall," Conroy said. "I would hear from other guys how he never missed."

Beach made the team last year, in time for The Citadel's rare and glorious 20-win season.

"I just love basketball and I really wanted to be a part of this," Beach said. "My hope is to go to grad school next year and be a grad assistant coach. I want to be a coach someday. I have learned here from the best. It's been unbelievable."

When not playing for the scout team in practice, Beach helps Conroy edit DVDs and keep statistics charts.

Back to today's Senior Day festivities at McAlister Field House.

The Citadel will honor two players.

One is center Joe Wolfinger, the 7-foot transfer from the University of Washington.

The other is Zach Beach.

Reach Gene Sapakoff at gsapakoff@postandcourier.com