SLIPPERY ROCK — Written on Amber McFeely's white basketball shoes are four letters.

K-M and Q-T.

They are written there before each Slippery Rock University women's basketball practice and game to honor her brother, Kyle, who died in an automobile accident in October.

"I can't even explain how close I was with him," said McFeely, a Grove City High School graduate. "He went (to SRU) and he would always say, 'Don't walk too close to me because people will think you are my girlfriend or something.' We were just like that.

"Even if we were separated for 10 minutes after class, he would say, 'Bye, I love you.' He would also say, 'Come by my apartment so we can spend some quality time.' But he would always abbreviate it and say 'Q-T.'"

It's been a trying time for the McFeelys since that horrible day in October. The accident happened a day before the first practice of the season for The Rock women's basketball team — a shocking reminder of just how fragile life is.

SRU coach Laurel Heilman wanted to cancel that first practice, but McFeely talked her out of it.

The basketball court, McFeely said, was the one sanctuary from the pain.

"It was a release to come to practice," McFeely said. "At home, there was all this sorrow. It was a release to come here and focus on something else."

And there is a lot for McFeely to focus on in her senior year for SRU.

She has changed on the court. Once timid and shy about taking shots, McFeely has taken it upon herself to become more of a scorer, averaging 12 points per game for 3-3 Slippery Rock.

McFeely also isn't shy about putting the fate of her team into her hands. As the final seconds ticked down against West Liberty State College Tuesday and trailing by two, she dribbled to her left and pulled up for a jump shot.

It missed, but teammate Kristen Bonner was there to pull down the long rebound and bank in the game tying shot.

Heilman applauded McFeely's initiative.

"She has to (take the shot). That's her job at this point," Heilman said. "She's paid her dues as a distributor and as the quarterback of the team. We need her to be a scorer and be assertive and aggressive."

It's a message the coach has sent to McFeely for years. It has finally sunk in.

"I've been doing it gradually through my whole career," McFeely said. "In high school, I never shot. I was always passing. (Heilman) has been on my case to be more of a scorer, to take this many shots a game to score more. Now I don't have Missy (McKavish) or Stacey (Green) or Erin (Frankovich) around anymore. It's a challenge for me."

McFeely has worked on her shooting mechanics extensively, preparing for the day when she would have to become more of a scoring threat.

She worked on her release and has honed her pull-up jumper to the point where it has become a big weapon in her arsenal.

McFeely is shooting 46 percent from the floor and 94 percent (17-of-18) from the free throw line this season.

"It's hard work," Heilman said. "She's probably in the gym more than anyone else, even if she doesn't have to be."

That doesn't mean McFeely has turned into Allen Iverson overnight. Assists are still a big part of her game.

Nov. 22 against Fairmont State, McFeely passed Kathy Lisman Wood to become The Rock's all-time career assist leader.

And she had no idea she was about to do it.

"My mom always keeps track, but I just say, 'Yeah, whatever,'" McFeely said. "I thought I had 30 or something more to go, but coach Heilman called me into her office before we got on the bus (to Fairmont State) and asked me, 'Do you think you can get three more assists?'"

McFeely did and in the process broke a record that had stood since 1982.

Heilman was a freshman on that Rock team when Lisman Wood set the record.

"That's how long that record has been here," Heilman said. "It couldn't happen to a better person. I'm probably her biggest fan."

McFeely would have liked the record to fall at home and with a win. But neither of those things happened.

But if there is one thing McFeely has learned it is that nothing is guaranteed.

"I always pray before the game," McFeely said. "I pray before taking a foul shot because I remember Kyle helping me with that. I just try to turn it into a positive outlook, but it is very difficult because I never thought I would have to deal with anything like this."