Senior Night, without some reassurance by Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self three years ago, could have been only half as special on Wednesday.

Speaking to a large contingent of fans who stuck around after KU’s 75-54 victory over Colorado, guard Stephen Vinson let Self in on a little secret from when the coach was first hired in 2003.

“We were a couple of walk-ons,” Vinson said of himself and Christian Moody. “I didn’t know if I’d be here anymore, and I started looking at if other schools would take me. But never at one point did you make me feel (unwanted).”

Good move. Vinson and Moody turned out to be key cogs in KU’s midseason turnaround this year. Heck, Moody even was mentioned as the greatest walk-on in college basketball history by a couple of pundits last season.

Still, Moody and Vinson both wondered aloud – along with Brett Olson – if their KU careers ended when coach Roy Williams’ did.

“Are we done? Are we one and done?” Moody recalled asking.

Self, of course, said no, and the thought made Moody break down Wednesday.

Such stories made Senior Night a little more sentimental, and though this year’s version lacked the star power of 2005, 2003 or 1997, there still were flowers thrown and tears shed.

Vinson, Moody, Moulaye Niang and Jeff Hawkins each took the microphone for speeches.

Niang, who didn’t play this year because of a bad back, thanked Self for retaining him as a student assistant.

“He didn’t have to keep me around this year,” Niang said, before deadpanning, “I ain’t no good this year, man.”

Hawkins apologized for his minor off-court troubles to start his speech.

Moody thanked both the old regime headed by Williams and the new one led by Self.

Vinson took time to point out his fiancee, Anna Harvey, saying he always knew where she was sitting in Allen Fieldhouse because “she glows. She’s beautiful.”

Vinson’s speech lasted 10 minutes. But near the end, he politely asked the fans for his biggest thrill once more – a standing ovation.

Only this time, he asked it be directed toward his mother, Cyndi Mona.

“I want my mom,” he said, “to have that same feeling.”

While the crowd obliged, Vinson’s mother was shown on the video screen. She was wiping away a tear.