By: Carolyne Harris
Cole LaRue, is a senior for the Kennesaw State men's basketball team whose leadership is and has been a defining staple to the KSU basketball team.
"Even though I'm not playing a bunch, I think in the locker room, I get to know the guys. I know that they know they can come to me with whatever. I just like to be there for them. I'm not going to be the guy that is up screaming and hollering the whole game, but if you need to come talk to me, they know they can come talk," said the Mobile, Ala. native. "I think off the court, I really like to just bring people together. I like to joke with them, get to know them. I feel like if you just get to know somebody, they will start having your back and you'll have theirs," He says.
The 6'9 forward began playing his first season as an Owl in the 2020-21. As a freshman, he appeared in 21 games and scored 53 points, and has made at least 20 appearances in his first three seasons as an Owl. LaRue and the Owls had a lot to look back on approaching this 2023-24 basketball season. They remember last year's run, making history by winning the first ASUN Championship in program history and going dancing in March Madness. With conference play in full swing, the pressure of repeating hasn't fazed his squad.
"I don't think it puts any pressure on anybody. We just want to go out and prove that we are still the same team. The only thing we are really worried about is getting back to a championship. Coming in every day, working hard and competing," he said.
One change LaRue and the rest of the Owls went through in the offseason was a new head coach in Antoine Pettway along with a retooled roster.
LaRue noted that he's never seen Coach Pettway take a second off anything and how he has a lot of confidence in every player which brings everybody's confidence level up.
Except that one time where he couldn't help his team.
LaRue experienced a unique moment in the Owls' season-opener when his head coach was stuck in the elevator just minutes before tip-off. He laughed while describing the reaction of him and the team finding out.
"You know what, it was crazy. We were sitting in the locker room and we were like, 'When in the world is Coach Pettway going to come out here and talk to us?' Then Coach Watson walks in and goes 'Coach Pettway had an emergency,' and everybody looks at each other like what just happened. Then come to find out, he was stuck in the elevator with Dan, our DOBO, which makes so much sense. It was funny."
LaRue has had many accomplishments as a KSU Owl, on and off the court, and has a bright chapter ahead. After graduation, he plans to get married in May and attend grad school to get his doctorate.
As LaRue continues through his senior season, he wants Owl Nation to know one thing.
"We're a real exciting team to watch, if you come to a game, you'll be excited."
