The men’s basketball team was unable to complete a three-game season sweep against rival Spring Hill in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournament play-in game March 10 at the Alario Center in Westwego.
Two of the Wolfpack’s three conference wins had come against the Badgers.
History senior Dawson McCall started the game five-for-five from beyond the three-point arc but only made one shot after that. His fifth three put the ‘Pack up 22-15.
Spring Hill then had a 10-2 run over the next four minutes, taking a 25-24 lead with 7:55 left.
After 10 lead changes and two ties in the first half, Spring Hill took a 36-32 lead at halftime.
Loyola never led again, but they did get within one point when business sophomore James Bunn made a three-pointer with 11:23 left in the game.
Spring Hill scored nine unanswered points in the next five minutes to take a 60-50 lead.
Despite making only one second-half three-pointer in seven attempts, the Badgers outscored the ‘Pack 31-21 in the second half to win 67-53.
McCall made six of Loyola’s 17 field goals in the game for 18 points. The other starters were a combined nine for 18.
Finance junior Daniel Schmidt scored 11 points, and marketing sophomore James Olivard scored 10.
The Badger starters made less than half of their shots, but Chris Baldwin, one of three double-digit scorers for Spring Hill, went five of nine for 10 points off the bench.
The Badgers committed 10 turnovers to the Wolfpack’s 26.
“You can’t expect to beat anybody when you do that,” coach Jerry Hernandez said. “[The turnover problem] will change next year.”
Hernandez added that more players will contribute and that rebounding needs to improve.
The ‘Pack finished the season 6-26. Spring Hill (16-17 after the Loyola game) lost to eventual tournament champion Mobile by three points in the semifinals.
“One of their starters is out,” Hernandez said. “I think they’re a better team without him – at least we were able to contain the guy.”
Jonathan Hernandez, English writing senior, was named to the all-GCAC team.
For the season, he led the team in scoring, free throws, assists and steals. He was also fourth in the GCAC in three-point percentage.
Hernandez is the only Loyola player to have over 1000 points, over 400 rebounds and over 300 assists in a career.
“[Coaching him] is the highlight of my 31 years as coach,” his father Jerry said. “He’s overcome a lot of injuries and harassment, and we’re going to miss him because of a lot of things.”
Hernandez plans to follow in his father’s footsteps as a coach.
“He’s going to be a good coach one day – probably better than me, which isn’t too difficult,” coach Hernandez said.
The Wolfpack will also lose McCall and history senior Mike Senna to graduation.
McCall took more charging fouls than any player in Loyola history and also scored over 600 career points.
Senna, who only played three years of his eligibility, is the ‘Pack’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
Management junior Zach Tyson, Olivard, Bunn and Schmidt are the key players returning. Matt Truax, business junior, missed the entire season this year but “would make all the difference in the world” if he returns next season, according to Hernandez.
Ted Perron can be reached at [email protected].
