Loyola Greyhounds men's basketball

Loyola Greyhounds
2024–25 Loyola Greyhounds men's basketball team
UniversityLoyola University Maryland
Head coachJosh Loeffler (1st season)
ConferencePatriot
LocationBaltimore, Maryland
ArenaReitz Arena
(capacity: 2,100)
NicknameGreyhounds
ColorsGreen and gray[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament second round
1973*
*at Division II level
NCAA tournament appearances
1973*, 1994, 2012
NAIA tournament second round
1949, 1953
Conference tournament champions
MAAC: 1994, 2012

The Loyola Greyhounds men's basketball team represents Loyola University Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. It became a member of the Patriot League along with the university's other intercollegiate athletic programs on July 1, 2013. Home games are played at Reitz Arena. Loyola has appeared twice in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2012.

History

The program participated in the first interracial American basketball game played south of the Mason–Dixon line at Hurt Gymnasium on February 12, 1952, a 65–63 win over Morgan State.[2]

Upon moving up from Division II in 1981, Loyola was an original member of the ECAC Metro Conference which changed its name to the Northeast Conference (NEC) on August 1, 1988.[3] During its eight seasons in the circuit, the Greyhounds never won the championship and had no appearances in either the NCAA or National Invitation Tournaments. The only player in the program's Division I history to have reached the National Basketball Association (NBA) is Mike Morrison, a four-year letterman from 1985 to 1989. An All-Conference First Team as a junior and senior, he was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (51st overall) of the 1989 NBA draft. He was eventually named to the NEC 25th Anniversary All-Time Team in January 2006. Mark Amatucci was also honored as the circuit's Jim Phelan Coach of the Year in 1983–84.[4]

Loyola was a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) from 1989 to 2013. The Greyhounds won the MAAC Championship to earn the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament twice. The first time was in 1993–94 with an 80–75 win over Manhattan at Knickerbocker Arena and Tracy Bergan earning conference tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors. This was also Skip Prosser's only campaign as the program's head coach. The Greyhounds' next conference title came 18 years later in 2012 with MVP Erik Etherly spearheading a 48–44 victory over Fairfield at MassMutual Center.[5] Jimmy Patsos was the MAAC Coach of the Year that season.[6] The MAAC era at Loyola ended with Patsos' departure to Siena on April 2, 2013.[7]

G.G. Smith, an assistant coach under Patsos for six seasons, was promoted to lead the Greyhounds into the Patriot League on April 12, 2013.[8] He announced his resignation on March 8, 2018 after five seasons in which the team posted 56–98 and 35–55 records overall and in the conference respectively.[9]

Tavaras Hardy, an assistant coach on Josh Pastner's staff at Georgia Tech for two years, was appointed as Smith's successor 20 days later on March 28.[10] His third campaign at Loyola ended with the Greyhounds advancing to its first Patriot League Championship Game in an 85–72 loss at Colgate on March 14, 2021 despite entering the tournament as the No. 9 seed.[11][12]

NCAA Division I seasons

Loyola Greyhounds v. Siena Saints, Reitz Arena, Friday, February 8, 2013.
Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
ECAC-Metro Conference (1981–1988)
1981–82 Bill Burke 11–16 7–7 3rd South
1982–83 Mark Amatucci 4–23 3–11 4th South/Last
1983–84 Mark Amatucci 16–12 10–6 4th
1984–85 Mark Amatucci 16–14 8–6 4th
1985–86 Mark Amatucci 16–12 10–6 3rd
1986–87 Mark Amatucci 15–14 10–6 3rd
1987–88 Mark Amatucci 8–22 6–10 6th
Northeast Conference (1988–1989)
1988–89 Mark Amatucci 10–18 7–9 5th
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (1989–2013)
1989–90 Tom Schneider 4–24 2–14 6th South/Last
1990–91 Tom Schneider 12–16 5–11 7th
1991–92 Tom Schneider 14–14 10–6 4th
1992–93 Tom Schneider (1–10)/Joe Boylan (1–15)[13] 2–25 1–13 8th/Last
1993–94 Skip Prosser 17–13 6–8 5th NCAA Division I Round of 64
1994–95 Brian Ellerbe 9–18 5–9 6th
1995–96 Brian Ellerbe 12–15 8–6 4th
1996–97 Brian Ellerbe 13–14 10–4 3rd
1997–98 Dino Gaudio 12–16 9–9 6th
1998–99 Dino Gaudio 13–15 6–12 9th
1999–00 Dino Gaudio 7–21 4–14 9th
2000–01 Scott Hicks 6–23 2–16 9th
2001–02 Scott Hicks 5–23 4–14 9th
2002–03 Scott Hicks 4–24 1–17 10th/Last
2003–04 Scott Hicks 1–27 1–17 10th/Last
2004–05 Jimmy Patsos 6–22 5–13 9th
2005–06 Jimmy Patsos 15–13 8–10 6th
2006–07 Jimmy Patsos 18–13 12–6 4th
2007–08 Jimmy Patsos 19–14 12–6 4th
2008–09 Jimmy Patsos 12–20 7–11 8th
2009–10 Jimmy Patsos 13–17 6–12 8th
2010–11 Jimmy Patsos 15–15 10–8 5th
2011–12 Jimmy Patsos 24–9 13–5 2nd NCAA Division I Round of 64
2012–13 Jimmy Patsos 23–12 11–7 2nd CIT Quarterfinals
Patriot League (2013–present)
2013–14 G.G. Smith 11–19 6–12 8th
2014–15 G.G. Smith 11–19 7–11 9th
2015–16 G.G. Smith 9–20 8–10 8th
2016–17 G.G. Smith 16–17 8–10 7th CBI Quarterfinals
2017–18 G.G. Smith 9–22 6–12 8th
2018–19 Tavaras Hardy 11–21 7–11 9th
2019–20 Tavaras Hardy 15–17 7–11 9th
2020–21 Tavaras Hardy 6–11 4–10 9th
2021–22 Tavaras Hardy 14–16 8–10 6th
2022–23 Tavaras Hardy 13–20 7–11 8th
2023–24 Tavaras Hardy 7–25 5–13 10th/Last
2024–25 Josh Loeffler
Total: 494–761

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

  • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Patriot League for the 2020–21 season was temporarily divided into three regional mini-conferences based on geography. Each team played a 16-game regular-season schedule which included four matches against each regional opponent.[14] As usual, listed standings position reflected by conference tournament seed.[15]

Sources: Loyola University Maryland Men's Basketball Year-By-Year Records; Northeast Conference 2012–13 Men's Basketball Record Book; Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men's Basketball All-Time Standings.

Postseason tournaments

NCAA Division I Tournament results

The Greyhounds have made two appearances in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Their combined record is 0–2.[16][17]

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1994 #15 Round of 64 #2 Arizona L 55–81
2012 #15 Round of 64 #2 Ohio State L 59–78

CBI results

The Greyhounds have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 1–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2017 First round
Quarterfinals 		George Mason
Coastal Carolina 		W 73–58
L 63–72

CIT results

The Greyhounds have appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). Their record is 2–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2013 First round
Second Round
Quarterfinals 		Boston University
Kent State
East Carolina 		W 70–63
W 73–59
L 58–70

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Greyhounds have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament one time. Their record is 1–2.

Year Round Opponent Result
1973 Regional Quarterfinals
Regional semifinals
Regional 3rd-place game		 Biscayne
Roanoke
Fayetteville State		 W 82–79 OT
L 63–84
L 66–81

NAIA tournament results

The Greyhounds have appeared in the NAIA tournament four times. Their combined record is 2–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
1947 First round Hastings L 44–53
1948 First round Emporia State L 57–65
1949 First round
Second Round		 Cedarville
Indiana State		 W 79–67
L 58–79
1953 First round
Second Round		 Portland
Mississippi Southern		 W 66–64
L 72–106

References

  1. ^ {{cite manual |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/loyolagreyhounds.com/documents/2023/9/7/Athletics_ID_Guide_2023.pdf |title=Loyola Athletics Identity Guide |date=September 7, 2023 |access-date=September 25, 2023}
  2. ^ Henneman, Jim. "Loyola-Morgan 1952 Basketball Game Made Memories And History," PressBox (Baltimore), March 2017.
  3. ^ Official press release issued Tuesday, August 2, 1988 (Announcement of name change from ECAC-Metro Conference to Northeast Conference).
  4. ^ Northeast Conference 2012–13 Men's Basketball Record Book.
  5. ^ Men's Basketball Championship History – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
  6. ^ Men's Basketball All-Time All-MAAC Honors – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Archived 2009-03-12 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Markus, Don. "Jimmy Patsos leaving Loyola to take men's basketball job at Siena" The Baltimore Sun, Wednesday, April 3, 2013
  8. ^ "G.G. Smith Named Next Head Coach Of Loyola Men's Basketball", Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Friday, April 12, 2013
  9. ^ Harris, Mike. "End of an Era: Men's Basketball Head Coach GG Smith to Resign," The Greyhound (Loyola University Maryland student newspaper), March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018
  10. ^ "Tavaras Hardy Named Head Men's Basketball Coach at Loyola University Maryland," Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Wednesday, March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018
  11. ^ "Navy Hosts Men's Basketball Saturday In Patriot League Quarterfinals," Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Friday, March 5, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021
  12. ^ "Men’s Basketball Season Closes Sunday In Patriot League Title Game At Colgate," Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Sunday, March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021
  13. ^ Keeler, Sean. "Why Nuggets coach Michael Malone 'wouldn’t back down from anybody,'" The Denver Post, Sunday, February 17, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  14. ^ "Patriot League Plan on 2021 Basketball Season Starting in January," Patriot League, Monday, November 9, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020
  15. ^ 2021 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men's Basketball Championship, March 3–14, 2021 – Patriot League. Retrieved March 21, 2020
  16. ^ University of Arizona 2012–13 Men's Basketball Media Guide.
  17. ^ "Ohio State Gets Past Men's Basketball In NCAA Tournament", Loyola University Maryland Athletics, Friday, March 16, 2012