Jay Eck has a way to follow his daughter’s basketball career.

“Ben Turner is my best friend on the radio,” Jay said about Eastern’s assistant sports information director and the Panthers’ play-by-play radio announcer.

Other than that, it’s been a struggle for Eck to keep up with his daughter, Meggie.

Sunday’s 52-44 win over Tennessee-Martin with Meggie walking to center court with mother and father arm-in-arm was different.

It’s something that Meggie hasn’t experienced in her junior and senior seasons at Eastern.

Jay has been an assistant coach for the men’s basketball team at Towson University in Maryland for the last three years.

Any chance he gets to see Meggie play, he takes. But he knows the task of being a college coach and a father is more difficult to handle than designing a pick-and-roll.

“I saw a lot more of her games in the first couple of years,” Jay said. “I try to come home as much as I can.”

Jay, accompanied by his wife, Mary Beth, and oldest daughter, Jenny, sat in the third row at Lantz Arena watching Meggie’s every move.

Although Meggie only played 14 minutes and went scoreless on Senior Day, her mother said the experience was an emotional one, no matter the outcome.

“It was very emotional for me,” Mary Beth said. “Walking out on the court with her was a special moment. She’s the youngest of our four kids, so this is the last (Senior Day) we’ll ever have.”

The Ecks have logged their share of miles watching their four children play. Jenny graduated from Notre Dame, while Meggie’s two brothers graduated from the University of Wisconsin and DePaul.

Eastern coach Brady Sallee knew the day was special for Meggie, causing him to move up Senior Day two games early.

“Jay displays what this whole day means,” Sallee said. “No matter if you’re a coach or in some other kind of work, family always comes first. You just hope your boss understands.”

Meggie said she understands her father’s situation, saying she grew used to him moving from place to place.

Meggie’s siblings were involved in sports, so she had little choice but to play sports.

Jenny, who was Meggie’s teammate for two years at Deerfield High School, fondly recalls one of their games in the driveway as kids.

“I was always the good defensive player and she was the good offensive player,” Jenny said. “She’s always been a better shooter than me. The games were always competitive.”

Meggie said one of the most difficult aspects of having a coach as a father is not the constant travel, but the constructive criticism.

“Once I got over a stubborn phase I realized he was right more than not,” Meggie said. “He never pushed me into sports. He’s a big reason for where I’m at today.”

Even if he’s hundreds of miles away.

“I’m really proud of her,” Jay said. “It’s always nice to see her play.”

Freshman Ashley Thomas scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in the Panthers win against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawkss. The Panthers won 52-44. (Amir Prellberg/The Daily Eastern News)

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