Fans started yelling for Jimmy Patsos to change his unorthodox strategy of subbing two complete lineups of five players as Loyola fell behind Coppin State by 20 points on Wednesday night.
But Patsos stuck with his tactic for the majority of the game as the Greyhounds rallied for a thrilling, 73-70 win in front of 1,110 fans at Reitz Arena.
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“We stuck to the game plan,” Patsos said. “Against Davidson we stuck to the game plan and things didn’t go our way, but tonight we did and it worked out.”
The Greyhounds (3-7) rallied to lead by as many as five points with fewer than four minutes remaining, but didn’t secure the victory until they prevented the Eagles (1-5) from attempting a three-pointer as time expired.
Loyola started the night by alternating two units every three to four minutes for more than three quarters of the game: guards Bretty Harvey, Marquis Sullivan and Jamal Barney and forwards Josh Wiegand and Anthony Winbush started. Guards J’hared Hall and Brian Rudolph and forwards Isaac Reid, Dan Ficke and Brad Farrell played in the second group.
Patsos broke the mold with 7: 52 remaining when he put Barney, Rudolph, Harvey, Winbush and Reid together to overcome a 58-50 deficit.
“It focuses you because you know you are going out in three minutes,” Barney said. “It worked out.”
A three by Coppin State guard Tywain McKee from straight-on gave the Eagles a brief, 70-69 lead with 62 seconds remaining. But moments later, Barney responded with a pair of free throws to restore a slim, 71-70 advantage.
The defense stiffened on its next possession as McKee missed a floater in the lane from about six feet, and Winbush secured the rebound. Harvey made two ensuing free throws with 16.4 seconds remaining to cap the scoring and Coppin State never attempted a three before time expired.
McKee finished with a game-high 28 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
Barney led the Greyhounds with 21 points and eight rebounds, and forward Isaac Reid chipped in with a career-high 18 points and six rebounds.
Coppin State jumped out to a 32-12 lead with 6:20 left in the first half following a three-pointer by guard Jordan Lee. The Greyhounds, who slowly began finding a rhythm with their two units, went on an 11-2 run to finish the first half, but still trailed, 34-23 at intermission.
“We had been becoming a good defensive team and we proved we would play that way in the first half,” Coppin State coach Ron “Fang” Mitchell said. “This game is simple: if you give up easy baskets, you lose.”
