In many ways, the Loyola and UMBC men’s basketball teams have mirrored each other throughout the 2019-20 season.
Loyola is 14-14 overall; UMBC, 13-14. The Greyhounds began Patriot League play 1-8, while the Retrievers started America East play 2-6. Loyola was without top recruits Santi Aldama and Cam Spencer for long stretches — Aldama for its first 22 games and Spencer for a nine-game stretch during conference play. UMBC has been without transfer guard Darnell Rogers for all but seven games and senior wing Arkel Lamar for all but four.
Both teams are now playing their best basketball of the season at the right time. The Greyhounds have won five of six, and the Retrievers have won four straight. How did both teams recover? For Loyola, it was getting Aldama and Spencer in the lineup to form the team that was picked to finish No. 4 in the preseason Patriot League poll. For UMBC, it was settling into a rotation after injuries knocked out two key players early in the season.
