Two weeks ago and saddled with a 0-2 start in the Patriot League, Loyola Maryland was "desperate" for a victory.
Since then, the Greyhounds have won three of four games to improve to 3-3 in the conference and remain in the thick of race for the league's regular-season championship and the top seed in the tournament.
Coach G.G. Smith admitted that the team's outlook has changed since the beginning of the month.
"It gives us confidence," he said this morning. "… We've won three league games. So we're just gaining confidence, and I hope it rubs off on everybody. Having guys like [junior shooting guard] Tyler Hubbard who is making some shots and really shooting the ball well and [senior point guard] Denzel Brito and [junior shooting guard] Eric Laster, guys are starting to be more consistent and more confident and that's the biggest difference in the last few games."
Loyola's recent positive trend included Sunday afternoon's 91-86 overtime decision over Boston University at Reitz Arena in Baltimore. Trailing by five points with 5.8 seconds left in regulation, the team got a 3-pointer from Brito and a pair of free throws from junior forward Franz Rassman to send the contest in overtime, where the Greyhounds outscored the Terriers, 17-12, en route to their best offensive performance of the season.
The victory was also critical for a Loyola squad that is 4-3 at Reitz Arena and trying to win as many home games as possible.
"It was real important because we lost a home game against Army [on Jan. 3] and we didn't play well in that second half," Smith said. "I told the guys that this league is going to be jumbled up and down. I know Colgate's in first place right now, but Holy Cross is 1-5 and they were picked third in our conference. So I just told our guys that we've got to play, that's it's anybody's game. It's important for us that we got that win yesterday because we've got to win our home games. League play is all about winning all of your home games and doing the best you can on the road, and we were fortunate that we got a chance to get it into overtime, and we've been pretty good in overtime at Loyola since I've been here."