It’s hard for Brett Harvey to come off the bench.
The junior guard was a starter the minute he set foot on campus, and has been an integral part of the team winning at least 18 games each of the past two seasons. But when the Greyhounds lost six of seven earlier this month, Coach Jimmy Patsos decided to bring his veteran off the bench to provide instant offense and leadership.
And it’s hard to argue with the results. The Greyhounds have won their past four games, including a 57-56 win against Saint Peter’s on Thursday night.
“I am used to coming off the bench now and it’s no big deal and I am playing a lot, so I can’t complain,” he said. “It’s my job to bring up the energy of the team when I come in and spark them. During practice I am just wearing a different color jersey. I am just going harder on the starters to make them better, too.”
Harvey has averaged 11 points and two assists per game during the winning streak, during which he’s shot 38 percent from three-point range — four percentage points better than he shot as a starter. Harvey also is playing 27.5 minutes per game, down less than a minute from the 28.5 he was averaging before the move.
But Harvey will have to continue his stellar play off the pine if Loyola (9-12, 4-5) is to extend its winning streak at Marist (7-13, 3-5) on Sunday afternoon at 4. The Greyhounds beat the Red Foxes, 83-73, at Reitz Arena on Jan. 18.
“Harvey’s as good a competitor as I’ve had since Steve Blake at Maryland,” Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos said. “These guys are great, they have won four in a row and I am proud of them.”
The team’s fantastic play also can be attributed to its improved defense. During their winning streak, the Greyhounds are allowing opponents to make just 40.7 percent of their shots and a meager 28 percent from three-point range. In the last meeting with Marist, Loyola had a season-high five players score in double figures and outrebounded the Red Foxes, 40-30.
“Our assistant coach Greg Manning had a great thing to say at halftime: ‘It doesn’t matter what color jersey you wear, green or white –what starters and reserves wear in practice — if you play for Loyola, you always play hard,'” Patsos said. “We gave against Saint Peter’s, but we can give more.”
