Shea Tracy, one of the three team captains on the Western Connecticut State University men’s basketball team, attributed the Colonials’ historic Little East Conference Championship win last weekend to teamwork and a season-long effort both in practices and in games. But as the team heads to the NCAA’s Division III March Madness tournament this week with the taste of victory still lingering, Tracy will be sticking with a bit of superstition: His game-day ritual of having the same breakfast of eggs and chicken sausage.

“We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season, and hopefully what got us to this point will result in even more wins,” Tracy said. “We’ll celebrate the championship for a little while, but then get back to work as a team. I think we’re all looking forward to getting back out on the court.”

Tracy, a junior, and Jaheim Young, a freshman, recounted the intense title game at home on Feb. 29 against UMass Dartmouth, an 88-75 victory that earned the Colonials a trip the NCAA tournament and a matchup against Tufts University on March 6. The two starters spoke with student journalists in the Sports Writing class two days after the rollercoaster victory.

The championship marks the first time in 15 years that the WestConn men’s hoops team earned the chance to play in the national tournament, as well as the first time that Young and Tracy are part of winning a collegiate title.

In the LEC championship game, Tracy led the team with 18 points and 4 rebounds, while Young put up 10 points and pulled in 7 rebounds. Despite the fact the Colonials started the first ten minutes of the game with a 20-point lead, the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs took the lead by halftime.

“We had to stay together and keep our heads up,” said Young when asked about added pressure on the team after giving up that very sizeable early lead.

Tracy said that once WestConn pulled ahead again late in the game, enough to rest the starters in the final minutes of the second half, the Colonials were hyped up. “Me and Jaheim were on the bench together as the clock was ticking down, and we were like ‘Wow, we really just did this.’ It was surreal.”

Tracy led the team with 18 points and 4 rebounds, while Young ended the game with 10 points and 7 rebounds.

After the championship game, Tracy posted an Instagram photo of himself holding two championship plaques and a medal around his neck, with the message: “Man, this feeling is unreal.” The post got more than 400 Likes, but his followers are not the only ones who know Tracy is deserving of his position and awards. Young praised Tracy for his methods of encouragement, and how he managed to keep the team focused.

Young said he also posted a Facebook photo over three years ago titled “Championship Dreams.” That dream is now a reality with the LEC crown in hand. “Dreams do come true,” said Young.

As a captain and a role model to most of his younger teammates, Tracy explained how much high school basketball differs from college basketball, especially in his experience. Young, a 6’4” forward who excelled at Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn, confirmed Tracy’s point. “The biggest difference is the speed and pace of the game. Plus the strength of the guys. My coach has one of the fastest play styles in the whole league,” Young explained. “It’s way different than high school.”

WestConn’s coach isn’t the only one the Colonials can thank for inspiring the team to keep it together. “It’s pretty cool. They always try to make sure everybody is doing what they got to do,” said Young when asked what it was like to have a team led by upperclassmen such as Tracy. “He sends encouraging text messages before the games to keep us motivated. He steps up and knows what everybody’s got to be doing.”

Tracy, a 6’3” guard, has not played in a championship game since high school when he won a title with Connecticut’s Terryville Kangaroos. But given that WestConn wasn’t considered a contender by outsiders at the start of the season, winning the LEC championship seemed an even more prized accomplishment for the Colonials. “It was truly a blessing to be able to do this. I hope to do it again next year.”

How did Tracy keep his team motivated as team captain? He was asked what his role was, and how he managed to self-motivate as well.

“Especially throughout the second half of the year, I really tried to be that leader for everybody and make sure I always had the energy,” said Tracy. “We hope to keep building on that.”