The men’s basketball season ended March 5 when the Wolfpack lost in the quarterfinals of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament to the Belhaven Blazers, 63-57.

The Wolfpack entered the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game as the third seed, and the Blazers as the sixth seed.

The Wolfpack played without guard Sean Bennett, general studies business junior, who had a stomach illness.

Ryan Brock, management junior, and Torry Beaulieu, history senior, stepped up to the challenge in Bennett’s absence. Brock led the team with 26 points and Beaulieu followed with 21. They were the only two players that scored in double figures for Loyola.

The duo’s performance did not come as a surprise to their head coach, Michael Giorlando.
“Sean was ill tonight and guys know that when that happens, they have to step up their game, and tonight’s performance didn’t surprise me at all,” Giorlando said.

Both Beaulieu and Brock understood what their roles would be in the game.

“When we’re missing someone, an All-Conference player in Sean Bennett, it’s hard for us to adjust to that, because we’re used to having him in the lineup,” Beaulieu said.

Brock scored the first 14 points for the Wolfpack, something he felt was necessary to help the team win. “With Sean out, I wanted to come out hard and give my team a lift early, to make up for Sean’s absence,” he said.

The Wolfpack started their offseason early and the athletes can now put their full focus on academics.

“I feel it was a successful season, but this wasn’t how we wanted it to end,” Beaulieu said.

Next year’s team will be filled with veterans, something Brock is looking forward to. “We’re going to come back hungrier next year,” he added.

This was Brock’s first season with the Wolfpack, after transferring from the University of New Orleans.

“Overall it was a great season first season for me. I enjoyed being around the guys. We exceeded other people’s expectations, but we know we could have gone further. We’re going to come back hungrier next season,” he said.

Giorlando said he was happy with the season his team completed.

“I thought it was a very good season. I thought our guys played real hard, and got a lot of positive things done,” he said. “We keep setting the bar with 19 wins and 12 wins in conference.”

He is optimistic his team will have a successful season next year because they have learned a lot from this season.

“I think they’ve set themselves up this year to really know what it takes to take the whole thing or put themselves in position to battle for a conference championship,” he said.

The Wolfpack will have to wait until next October, when the season starts, to have another opportunity for conference championship.

Eduardo Gonzalez can be reached at [email protected].