With the score tied at 71-71 and just seconds left on the clock, shooting guard Luke Zumo, psychology senior, got the ball just beneath the key.

Like a running back, he lowered his head and plunged into the paint against three Southern University defenders. Out of the disorder he emerged to sink a reverse layup and take the win.

If there’s one thing the Loyola men’s team has learned this season, it’s how to finish.

Since losing their first two conference matches in early January, the ‘Pack has recorded wins for the last four games – half of those have been road victories.

At Spring Hill’s Outlaw Center, Loyola made a second-half comeback against the Badgers after being down by 17 points. With seconds left, history sophomore Torry Beaulieu made it to the free throw line where he gave them their first lead of the game.

The tables had turned since less than a year ago when the ‘Pack left Mobile with a devastating one-point loss to Spring Hill in the conference tournament.

“After that Spring Hill game we’ve had an amazing confidence,” Zumo said. “I’ve never felt like this about this team.”

At this point last season the team was 3-13 with no wins against conference opponents. Compared to this season’s 11-5 (4-2 conference) performance they might as well have been two totally different teams.

According to head coach Michael Giorlando, the key ingredient this season has been experience.

“We’re getting great leadership from our upperclassmen,” Giorlando said. “Mario, Bear and Luke are doing a phenomenal job off the court. They’re talking to (their teammates) and on the court they’re showing them how to do it.”

Although the team has already won twice as many games as last season, there are 12 more left this season.

For any team, that can be a mountain.

Although tied for third in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, Loyola has yet to beat any school ranked above the seventh-best William Carey University. Thursday the ‘Pack will have a shot at the 5-1 University of Mobile (number two in the GCAC).

But the ‘Pack’s 4-2 record – even against lower ranked opponents – is impressive.

“Our conference in basketball is like the SEC in football – any given night a team like Arkansas can beat LSU,” Mario Faranda, finance junior, said.

Giorlando has made improvements, giving players off the bench some significant minutes and resting his starters; however, some of the starting five are still out there for nearly the entire game. Sean Bennett, general business studies junior, Beaulieu and Zumo have all clocked games of at least 38 minutes in the last few games.

“I just try to enjoy every timeout,” Zumo said after playing all of two minutes against Southern University at New Orleans. “We’ve been lightening up on practice, which has allowed me to sustain a little bit better.”

Signs of wear have already shown on some of the starters. Darrinton Moncrieffe, management freshman, and Carter “Bear” Wurts, marketing senior, have been relieving starter Faranda more often because of an aching back from taking charges. Faranda said the injury is not serious and has little effect on his scoring.

Pressure defenses have a tendency to cause turnovers – right now they’re averaging a league worst 20.13 per game. Loyola guards who clock more minutes than anyone are struggling to produce rebounds on offense.

“We’re trying to get people minutes. We need them as much as we need the starting five,” Giorlando said.

Steve Heath can be reached at [email protected].