UPDATED: Wednesday, 10:01 p.m.

The moment was coming, no matter if senior Luke Eddy wanted it to or not. He was dreading it, knowing how that time was usually reserved for one man, and that man wouldn’t be around to experience it.

“That media timeout will be extremely difficult,” said Eddy, the guard for Elon University’s men’s basketball team.

The under-eight media timeout of the second half, that is, when the student section cranks up its “Doctor Danieley” chant in honor of President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley, the team’s biggest fan and the most transformational figure in the university’s history.

“Somebody’s going to have to do something,” Eddy said. “That’s his time. He’s the only person I’ve ever heard get their name individually chanted at Alumni Gym.

And so, a day after Danieley died at 92, the time came during Elon’s game against Florida International University. And with palpable emotion, and his seat clad with flowers, the fans chanted.

The band started it. The students and fans joined in. And the cheerleaders and dance team stood on the floor, waving the towels.

A video of Danieley appeared on the video board, and cheers erupted. Then, after the silence, the chant started back up.

His presence was prominent.

"It did stick out, and I don't think it was a distraction," said junior forward Brian Dawkins. "It helped us realize this game had a little extra on it — it was our first game without Dr. Danieley. I think it helped us down the stretch."

It was fitting, in a way, that the first true gathering of the Elon community after Danieley’s death came at a basketball game. He was a mainstay at basketball and volleyball games throughout his 75 years at Elon, and had a heavy hand in the formation of both the women’s athletic program and the Elon College Sports Hall of Fame.

There’s a painting of Danieley at the entrance of Alumni Gym. Elon players wore a Dr. D patch on their jerseys, as they’ll do the rest of the year.

And each seat was donned with a white towel before the game, a symbol of the rally towel Danieley would wave when the students chanted his name.

Elon beat Florida International 84-81 in overtime.

“There’s a yearning for us all to be in the same room because we lost an icon,” said head men’s basketball coach Matt Matheny. “We lost our guy. … I’m sure there’s a lot of people who would come to our games, and part of their ritual was to come by and talk to Dr. D.”

After each game, that’s exactly what the men’s basketball team would do. They circle the court, shaking fans’ hands.

But they’d stop for a little longer by Danieley’s chair.

Eddy first met Danieley his freshman year because then-senior Jack Isenbarger ’14 was close to Danieley. Isenbarger was one of a number of basketball players who lived with Danieley at times during the last few years.

Eddy shared meals with Danieley many times, and even went to his house to help move furniture.

But nothing compared to those moments after games, moments that Eddy and others cherished.

“After the game, that’s something we always look forward to,” he said. “A firm handshake and a sloppy kiss.”

On Wednesday, a 30-second video tribute to Danieley played before the game, and a moment of silence was observed. Those in attendance wore stickers that read Dr. D, and the game’s program had a photo of Danieley waving his towel.

Afterward, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams and the volleyball team walked over to Danieley’s chair together and placed their towels on the seat. They each hugged Danieley's family, sitting beside his seat, as emotions ran high.

It wasn't until then that it all hit both Dawkins and Matheny.

The team discussed the death at practice Tuesday. And after the victory, Matheny noted how special it was to win on a night like this.

And with that, it was clear. Danieley’s memory will hang over those teams for days, years, decades to come.

"He loved our guys. And he loved a lot of people. It was genuine love," Matheny said. "We are really fortunate to have been able to spend time with him and to love him the way he loved us. Two great commodities in this world are time and love. We got to share both with him. It's pretty special."

Kailey Tracy, senior reporter, contributed reporting.