Andre Collins called last season the most rewarding of his career after averaging 26.1 points per game for Loyola.
Collins said he felt great knowing he helped Loyola regain respectability by finishing 15-13 two years after going 1-27. His offensive output came after 2 1/2 disappointing seasons at Maryland, where the former Crisfield High star languished on the bench.
“Last year was very rewarding, especially getting my first real chance to play again since high school,” Collins said. “We have a lot of good guys on this team, and I?d like the chance to play with them again.”
Collins feels like he still has some unfinished business at Loyola as the Greyhounds are poised to make a run at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. Collins will never get that chance, though, as he was denied by the NCAA Thursday in his bid for a sixth year of eligibility.
“I?m very disappointed, because I was in a position to get drafted in the NBA if I didn?t take this chance,” Collins said. “Now, I?m going to try to get invited to some camps and shop around for an agent.
Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos would have loved to get one more year with Collins in his backcourt. Without Collins, the Greyhounds will need to replace more than one-third of their offense from last year.
“I owe Andre a lot,” said Patsos, a former Maryland assistant. I don?t know where the program would have been without him.”
