The tunnel remained pink in honor of women’s basketball coach Kay Yow as of 9 p.m. Thursday night at the fourth annual Ram Roast.

Men’s basketball coach Sidney Lowe, alongside redshirt junior Brandon Costner and seniors Ben McCauley, Courtney Fells and Simon Harris, spoke to a crowd of approximately 125 people, thanking students for supporting the team and encouraging State to keep up morale following the death of Yow.

“We appreciate the support you have given us all year,” McCauley said. “As long as you continue to come out and support us, we’re going to fight. It’s a hard time at State right now, but keep cheering us on.”

Lowe kept his speech short noting he had to return to work to prepare for Saturday’s game against the rival Tar Heels.

Adam Compton, senior class president, said he was pleased with the turnout.

“I was really happy to see coach Lowe come out tonight. This is the first [Ram Roast] he has made it to,” Compton said. “We had a great number of players show up, so we’re really happy with everyone that came out tonight.”

To ensure the tunnel stayed pink throughout the night, more than 50 students signed up to guard the tunnel in two hour shifts, according to Katie Parker, a senior in communication and student ambassador for the Alumni Association.

Alex Woods, a sophomore in nuclear engineering, said the tunnel had a lot of symbolism.

“It should definitely stay pink tonight,” Woods said. “If anyone paints over it light blue, we should be really mad.”

Compton agreed the tunnel should stay pink in remembrance of Yow.

“She’s been a hero to a lot of people around the country,” he said. “It will be hard for anyone to fill her shoes, but that’s what we can do — continue to push her legacy.”

Compton said it’s also important that people show up for campus events.

“This is what the players see,” Compton said. “This is the closest interaction they have with the fans other than when they are playing on the court.”