After two narrow home losses, the Wolfpack traveled to Xavier University, whose team has won nine in a row and is ranked 10th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Coach Jerry Hernandez was encouraged by his team’s persistence.
“We fell behind really deep early, but we were only behind by seven with a minute and a half left (in the game),” Hernandez said. “It was a great effort on the road.”
“We had open looks, but we didn’t shoot well,” he added.
Xavier’s Timothy Green led all scorers with 18 points.
“He was only 6 of 13 and he is (normally) a 65 percent shooter,” Hernandez said.
Loyola lost 75-61 to fall to 1-5 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference and 4-15 overall.
Finance junior Daniel Schmidt led the Wolfpack with 15 points. Management junior Zach Tyson led the team with eight rebounds and also scored 10 points.
In the first half against Southern University of New Orleans in the Den on Jan. 15, the ‘Pack went six of 11 from three-point range and shot 57 percent overall.
Loyola led 35-33 at halftime.
Economics senior Mike Senna blocked four shots in the half, and Tyson was perfect in his five field goal attempts, two of which were three-pointers.
But the Wolfpack could not contain Lamar Clark, who played all 40 minutes and scored 25 points on 10 of 11 shooting to lead the Knights to a 74-69 victory.
“A lot of these guys are (NCAA) Division I transfers,” Coach Hernandez said. “We also have a tendency to turn the ball over too much.”
SUNO was the overwhelming pre-season favorite in the GCAC and came to the Den at 6-3 and ranked 24th in the NAIA.
Hernandez, who was seven of 10 from the floor, finished with 24 points, and Tyson with 17.
In the Wolfpack’s last home game on Saturday, they faced William Carey College, which defeated Loyola 111-108 in the Den last year.
Neither leading scorer from last year played.
Chad Barnes of Loyola transferred to the University of New Orleans, and Jaeson Maravich of William Carey was ill.
Hernandez made a free throw with 14:41 left in the first half for the 1000th point of his career. Hernandez was named GCAC Player of the Week for last week.
The Wolfpack took a late lead when Schmidt made two foul shots with 36 seconds to play.
Schmidt fouled out with 15 seconds left, and Carey made the first of two free throws to narrow the lead to 57-56. But they grabbed the rebound after missing the second shot.
Braxton Robins, the Crusaders’ top scorer in the game, made a basket with five seconds left to give his team a one-point advantage.
Hernandez fell trying to get the ball down the court, and William Carey was called for a foul. He made both free throws with 4.3 seconds on the clock.
McCall was whistled for a block with .3 seconds left, and Carey hit both free throws to win 60-59.
“It was a phantom foul,” Coach Hernandez said. “I watched the replay several times.”
Hernandez had a game-high 24; Schmidt added 15. The ‘Pack shot 46 percent from three-point range.
“Shooting threes is just our personality,” Coach Hernandez said. “Our system lends itself to that, and that’s one thing we do well.”
Loyola won its lone conference game when it hosted GCAC newcomers Louisiana State University of Shreveport. The Wolfpack trailed 36-17 at halftime.
The ‘Pack came roaring back and took its first lead of the game at 58-57.
The Pilots hit two free throws to take the lead back with 2:12 left to play.
LSU-S still led by one when Tyson was fouled with 11 seconds left. He drained both foul shots to give the ‘Pack a 64-63 lead. That gave him 10 points on the night and, coupled with his 11 rebounds, a double-double.
Hernandez stole the ball with 1.2 seconds left and hit another free throw to make the final score 65-63. Schmidt went five of seven from downtown, helping him to a team-best 17 points.
