Smiles broke through the vaunted game faces of almost 30 men's and women's basketball players at Friday's Winter Homecoming basketball alumni games.

Nobody's smile was brighter than that of Pat DiServio '90, who ended a two-decade Dedmon Center scoring drought with a drive to the basket off a Ryan Charles '00 feed in the first half of his red team's 81-66 win.

"It was awesome," he said. "I wish I could have played with Ryan more." 

DiServio was making his first alumni game appearance and first visit to RU in more than 20 years.

The RU women's basketball alumnae opened the nostalgic night's doubleheader with a 54-54 tie.

"It feels great to lace them up again," said Corrie Fertitta '08, who also played professionally for two years in Germany and is now coaching and teaching in the Roanoke area.

The house lights dimmed, the music crescendoed, and veteran Dedmon Center public address announcer Neal Leahy introduced the returning Highlanders. The red team's Nanette Cox '84 opened the scoring in the women's game with a drop-step drive to the hoop off a feed from longtime teammate Pebbles Smith '85, one of several RU Hall of Famers who played.

Smith and Cox were reunited with teammate Barbara Lewis '86 on the red team led by their collegiate coach, RU Hall of Famer Pat Barrett '69.

"The playing time issue that used to be so important wasn’t as big an issue tonight as breathing time," Barrett said.