After 25 years of service as Baker University’s men’s basketball coach, Rick Weaver is nearing his last of about 400 home games in Collins Center.

Thursday’s home game will mark Weaver’s finale on the home hardwood. As head coach since 1985, Weaver announced his plans to retire after this season. He said while this season has not gone as planned, he is focused on finishing the year strong, rather than thinking about his “lasts.”

“I’m trying to finish off as best as possible,” Weaver said. “I’m happy with the guys’ effort and hopefully we can at least have a couple of good games left.”

In a season plagued with injuries, Weaver said he has not had a chance to focus on his last home game ever, but rather toward playing and preparing for upcoming games.

“I haven’t looked that far yet to be honest. With that last one, I’m sure there will be a lot of thoughts as it gets closer,” Weaver said. “I was talking with my wife the other day and I think there have been about 400 games here in Collins and I haven’t missed one. I think I’m the only guy who hasn’t missed a single one.”

In fact, Weaver said he has only missed one game in his 25-year tenure. He missed a road game at Evangel University fifteen years ago when his mother passed away.

Assistant coach Terry Zerr said he has learned a lot about competitiveness the last 11 years he has coached with Weaver.

“I think it’s fair to state that he’s been the most successful coach that we’ve had at Baker and chances are, we might not have a guy that does it for 25 years again,” Zerr said.

Many moments remain vivid to Weaver, but one in particular stands out to him as the biggest home game the ‘Cats have ever won. In the 1980s, Weaver’s Wildcats upset No. 4 William Jewell College, who had previously won 45-straight conference games and were 19-0.

“They had just beat Washburn University,” Weaver said. “It was one of those nights when everything was working out and we were hitting everything.”

Weaver can also remember the successful 1996 season when the Wildcats, William Jewell and MidAmerica Nazarene University all advanced to the national tournament and BU captured home victories against both tough squads.

“We had a great crowd and that was the year we probably had the most rabid fan support,” he said.

For Weaver, his coaching passion goes deeper than home-court advantage or having a successful season. To him, the players and their performances is what he will miss most.

“I will miss working with the players on a day-to-day basis,” Weaver said. “That’s probably what I’ve enjoyed the most.”

Former Baker guard Andrew Hannon, who grew up attending Baker basketball games for years, said he can remember going to games as a young boy and watching Weaver.

“I never thought I had a chance to play for him and I did,” Hannon said. “Replacing him will be a weird change because Baker basketball has always been about coach Weaver, and his character and reputation around the league has been respected.”

Weaver will step onto the Collins Center home floor for the last time as head coach Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

“I think the city and everybody at the university owes him a lot,” Zerr said. “I’d like to see a big crowd there for that last game for Coach for putting in a hard 25 years.”