Larranaga’s praise is the result of the junior forwards performance during the Patriots three day run to the 2008 CAA conference tournament championship that set up tonight’s matchup between the 12^th seeded Patriots (23-10) and the 5^th seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish (24-7). However, what Fleming did on the court is only part of the reason his coach is talking about him so glowingly.

                On Saturday Mar. 8, just hours before the Patriots were set to square off with Northeastern University in the quarterfinals of the CAA tournament, Fleming was not with his teammates in Richmond. He was home in Manassas, attending the memorial service of a childhood friend who was tragically lost two weeks earlier.

                “The memorial was real tough,” said Fleming. “Just because her mom was up there and it just got real personal. Kristin was loved by so many people and she was the last person you thought anything could happen to.”

Kristin Harkness had been one of Fleming’s best friends since he was six or seven years old. Although they did not spend as much time with each other once they got into high school, Fleming said the two still kept in touch.

                “She was two years younger than me,” said Fleming. “I would see her when I went back home for parties and things like that. But, growing up we were real close and her family would come to a couple games every year. Her mom is close to mine, so it was just a total shock when it happened.”

                Fleming found out about Harkness’s passing the night before the Patriots bracket buster game with Ohio University. Fleming was out to dinner with family members who live in Ohio, and did not answer phone calls from friends trying to inform him of the sad news.

                “When I finally got back [to the hotel] I got a phone call from a friend who really doesn’t call me unless there’s some big news, something that’s funny,” said Fleming. “So I called him back and he told me what happened and I couldn’t believe it. So, I called my parents and I guess they had just found out and my mom was pretty upset. It was just a total shock.”

                Larranaga gave Fleming permission to go to Harkness’s memorial, saying he felt it was important that Fleming feel he had his coaches and teammates support.

                “It wasn’t the kind of support,” said Larranaga. “But that he knew whatever he needed to do, to be wherever he needed to be, to be with his family, to be with his friend’s family that he knew he had my permission to do that.”

                Although it was of secondary importance, Larranaga did say there was a bit of concern as to whether Fleming would be able concentrate on playing Northeastern.

“The primary importance was for him to feel that he had done what any good friend would do,” said Larranaga. “He’s a very responsible individual and I knew that when he came back that he would play up to his capabilities.”

Fleming pushed through his pain and delivered a solid game against Northeastern, finishing with four points and one rebound in 14 minutes; saying he was emotionally drained after the game.

                “I was emotionally drained, but I was also excited because we had played well,” said Fleming. “We won and had a chance to play UNC-Wilmington and avenge two losses. So, I was excited for that.”

                That excitement carried over to the following day as he delivered another solid performance in the Patriots 53-41 win over UNC-Wilmington. Fleming finished with six points and two rebounds in 17 minutes to help secure George Mason’s spot in the championship game.

                The following day before the championship game against William & Mary, Fleming took the time to make a phone call that the recipient will most likely remember forever.

                “I actually called [Kristin’s] mom on Monday before the game and told her I was thinking of Kristin,” said Fleming. “She called me back and told me it was the nicest thing anybody had ever done and it was the first time she had been able to look forward to something since Kristin’s passing.”

                Fleming again came through for his teammates scoring eight points and grabbing two rebounds in 20 minutes as the Patriots beat William & Mary 68-59 to secure their second NCAA tournament bid in three years.

                The win was the perfect finish to a weekend that Fleming was able to deal with personal heartache and deliver on the court when it was needed most.

                “I was exhausted,” said Fleming of his feelings after the championship game. “I came back to Fairfax with the team and went straight back to Manassas. A couple buddies came over and we just capped the whole thing with my parents.”

                Like the rest of his teammates, Fleming is excited to be back in the NCAA tournament and have a second chance to make history. However, he will never forget Kristin Harkness, whose memory was the driving force in Fleming’s finest hour.

                “That’s probably why I played the best I’ve played since I got to George Mason,” said Fleming. “I felt like she was with me each game.”