Fewer than 24 hours after learning of the death of  former teammate Alex Scarbro, the UW-Whitewater women’s basketball team was scheduled to play Edgewood College.

Head coach Keri Carollo spoke with the team before the game and said if they didn’t feel like playing that

night, it would be perfectly understandable.

According to junior Katie Burton, the thought never crossed her mind. She knew they had to go out and play the game in honor of Scarboro. When the final buzzer sounded, the Warhawks left with a 44-point victory.

“We’re going to play this whole season for Alex, she’s that important to us,” Burton said. “It was very emotional at the end of the game. We’d been so devastated and saddened by the loss, and then at that point we just kind of felt a little sense of hope.

“We felt good that we won for Alex, and we dominated for Alex, and we did everything for Alex. We gave this game to Alex, and it was just a good feeling in my heart after the game that we did it for her.”

Scarbro, a former UW-Whitewater student and women’s basketball player, passed away Saturday, Nov. 24. Scarbro was a member of the 2011-12 UW-W women’s basketball team, but left school after the season was over.

According to Athletic Director Paul Plinske, Scarbro enrolled in summer classes at the university and was taking classes at a junior college this fall, working on her academics in preparation to return to UW-W in the spring.

Plinske said he had nothing but fond memories of Scarbro and expressed just how much she meant to the entire women’s basketball team and coaching staff.

“Alex had a wonderful spirit,” Plinske said. “She had a contagious personality and a really good sense of humor, but what stood out the most about Alex is that she truly cared for her teammates. That’s what endeared so many people to her.”

Carollo said the initial shock after hearing the news was one of the hardest things to deal with.

“It’s tough to lose anybody when they’re that young and have so much life left to live,” Carollo said. “She was a really special kid. The short amount of time that she was with us, she lived life to the fullest. She was a really good friend and a really good teammate.”

For the remainder of the season, the team will wear a patch with the No. 32 on it, Scarbro’s former number.

Carollo said the team also gave Scarbro’s uniform to her father Dave, which she will be buried with.

Junior Mary Merg, along with Burton and the rest of the team, plan to attend Scarbro’s wake this afternoon.  Merg said the thing she’ll remember most about Scarbro was how unique she was.

“Alex was the kind of girl that always put a smile on your face,” Merg said. “She was always joking around and laughing, pretty much loving life. She loved to have a good time, and she loved to be with her friends.”

One wake will be held today from 3 to 8 p.m. and another will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday. Scarbro’s funeral will be held following tomorrow’s wake at Village Church in Gurnee, Ill.

A memorial page was set up for Scarbro and can be found at alex.last-memories.com