At the beginning of the season, economics senior Mike Senna made it a goal to be the best defender in Loyola history.
He made a case for himself in Loyola’s 57-52 victory Monday against rival Spring Hill College by setting a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference record for blocks with 10.
“It was a defensive game,” Senna said. “They were very aggressive. We had to hold them at the end, and I contributed to that.”
Senna said he had no idea he had broken the record. “I didn’t know how many blocks I had. I know I had nine before in a game. I guess that just tied it,” he said.
Coach Jerry Hernandez credited Senna’s effort for giving the ‘Pack its first season sweep over Spring Hill in recent memory.
“They’ve got three of the top guards in the league, but our guards match up well (against theirs),” Hernandez said. “Mike Senna blocking 10 shots was probably the key to the game.”
Senna scored two points and led the game with six rebounds, which six other players matched.
After Spring Hill made a three-pointer in the opening minutes of the game, Loyola went on a 10-0 run over the next six and a half minutes. Consecutive three-pointers by finance junior Daniel Schmidt and general studies freshman Ryan Kinsley gave the ‘Pack a 16-7 lead with 9:54 to play in the half. Business sophomore James Bunn hit a three with 1:16 left in the half to put the Wolfpack up by 13 points. Spring Hill then made a basket with 30 seconds left, making the halftime score 35-24.
The Badgers narrowed the gap to 44-36 with 11:33 left in the game, but Loyola, led by management junior Zach Tyson, went on an 8-1 run over the next two minutes.
Spring Hill would not go away. The Badgers outscored the ‘Pack 13-2 over the next five minutes. Loyola only had one field goal in nine and a half minutes.
“Teams will play harder with their backs against the wall,” Hernandez said. “We just missed shots.”
After Spring Hill made a free throw to make the score 54-50 with 4:40 to play, no one scored until Schmidt made a free throw with 27 seconds left. Schmidt then got a key rebound before finishing off the game with a lay-up with five seconds left, giving the Wolfpack a 57-52 win.
Schmidt led all scorers with 19 points, and Tyson added 12.
Loyola finished with four more rebounds than the Badgers and nine more turnovers.
Loyola lost to Xavier on Saturday. The Gold Rush is leading the conference and is No. 10 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
The Wolfpack were within two points with 10:22 left in the first half before Xavier went on a 8-2 run to take a 19-11 lead with 7:36 to go. The ‘Pack then scored eight consecutive points in under two minutes to tie the game.
Loyola’s lead was as large as four points, but Xavier took a 30-29 lead into the half despite missing two-thirds of its shooting attempts from the floor.
The Wolfpack shot 67 percent but felt the effects of 18 first-half turnovers. There were four ties and five lead changes in the half.
Loyola trailed by two with 7:35 left, but the Gold Rush scored the next seven points to go up 61-52 with 4:24 to go in the game.
A three-pointer as time expired by English writing senior Jonathan Hernandez made the score 73-65.
Hernandez and finance junior Daniel Schmidt each finished with 14 points. Schmidt made four of nine three-point attempts.
Marketing sophomore James Olivard made all five of his field-goal attempts, scoring 13 points.
History senior Dawson McCall, Senna, and Tyson each got seven rebounds.
The Wolfpack out-rebounded the Gold Rush, 34-31.
Finance junior Daniel Schmidt, sporting a Loyola throwback jersey, looks to dribble past a Xavier defender in the Den on Saturday. The ´Pack fell by eight points.
