For the men’s basketball team, the home stretch of the regular season will be about improving the team’s performance on the road.

After the team’s game against Faulkner at the Den, the Wolf Pack will play their final three games on the road. Raising the stakes further is the fact that all remaining games will be in conference play.

The Wolf Pack will aim to make their road play resemble their performance at home. In conference play, the team is 6-2 on its home gym. On the road, however, the team’s conference record is 1-4.

Head coach Michael Giorlando said that the biggest challenge in away games is a matter of consistency.

“When you’re on the road, you’ve got to be consistent. The mental approach has got to be notched up two or three clicks, and you’ve got to finish. When you get fouled, you’ve got to knock free throws down,” he said.

The basketball team will look to emulate its home offensive output during its run of away games. The team averages about 6.5 more points per game at home than on the road in conference play. The scoring defense is about the same at home or away.

The team actually shoots better from the free throw line on the road, but gets to the line more at home. The biggest difference is in field goal percentage, where the team shoots much better when in the Den.

Sophomore Daniel Kuhl said that the players must ensure they are ready when they play on the road. He stresses the importance of knowing the opponents’ tendencies.

“Preparation is key. Scouting, video, all of that, you’ve got to really be focused on preparation and knowing what these teams do,” Kuhl said.

With four games left in the regular season and conference rankings to fight for, the Wolf Pack will be aiming to find a home away from home.

Karl Gommel can be reached at [email protected]