Before it was a season of accomplishment and disappointment, it was a season of tragedy for the Ohio State men’s basketball team.

On Nov. 3, 2004, Chris Fuss-Cheatham, mother of senior guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham, died in a car crash in Harmar Township, Pa., six days before the Buckeyes began their season with an exhibition game against Northern Kentucky.

Because of the school’s self-imposed post-season ban, the Buckeyes know their season will be over by the end of the week at the Big Ten tournament. That finality gave Fuss-Cheatham a time to sit back and reflect.

“For the last four or five months, this is something I’ve definitely had to deal with,” Fuss-Cheatham said. “I’ve got a lot of things going through my head.”

Fuss-Cheatham was disappointed that the woman who was described as the “team mom” missed a season that has so far included 19 wins and a win over No. 1 Illinois Sunday at the Schottenstein Center.

“It kind of sucks, you know,” he said. “She would have been so proud of our team and myself this year because she was our number one fan when it comes to basketball.”

Coach Thad Matta spoke of how Fuss-Cheatham has grown throughout the season, culminating in his assist on Matt Sylvester’s game-winning 3-pointer against Illinois.

“I think he’s dedicated his season to her, and to watch him progress as a player and to get that assist on that last shot, I think he’s handling it well,” Matta said.

In dedication to his mother, he wears a medallion around his neck that keeps the memories of her close.

“I wear this as much as I can,” he said. “I cherish this. I’m not the guy who’s going to get a tattoo. This is for me, the best way I can show it.”

With at most four games left in his career, Fuss-Cheatham will soon lose the sport he calls his therapy.

“Now that it’s ending and I’ve got a lot of free time I’m about to come upon, I’m probably going to think about it a lot,” he said. “But it’s not like I’m just stranded on an island by myself. I’ve got people to talk to.”

Fuss-Cheatham said that if the Buckeyes can manage to sweep their way through Chicago, it would be the perfect end to his career.

“That would just put the icing on the cake,” he said. “We have to see what we can do, and hopefully it comes out the way that we want it to.”