It wasn’t the situation that was most striking. The Stags have been there before.
The telltale sign from Head Coach Ed Cooley was his words, his tone and the look in his eyes.
“We will get better. I can promise you that,” said Cooley as he sat with his arms crossed resolutely.
Cooley also continued to express his dislike for Loyola and its head coach, Jimmy Patsos.
For the second-straight year the two traded words with each other during the game.
A MAAC rivalry has been born with this year’s edition of the quarterfinal matchup, which was as exciting as last season’s.
“I don’t like Loyola. I never will in my time as head coach,” said Cooley. “I cannot wait to play them next year. I see green, and I get sick.”
Minutes before, Cooley witnessed what was almost the first miracle in Fairfield men’s basketball since Greg Francis and the 1997 Stags went from the eighth seed to the best team in the MAAC in three days.
Loyola ended the first half with 12 consecutive points and led by as much as 18 points. It seemed as if a blowout loss to Rider in the regular season-finale was not an aberration, but a sign of things to come.
Fairfield did not just go into halftime trailing. It went into halftime coming apart at the seams.
Just when the game seemed out of reach, the tide turned. The game plan that the Stags more than likely envisioned finally showed on the court with stifling defense, senior leadership and fantastic play from junior Jon Han at point guard.
Once again, it wasn’t enough. Just as the Stags were willed back by gutsy performances and a crowd cheering for the underdog, Cooley again witnessed what he’s seen one too many times in his brief stint as a head coach.
The Stags were not able to complete the comeback, never getting “over the hump.”
Still, this time Cooley’s postgame attitude was noticeably different.
“[Loyola] beat us on their day,” Cooley said. “I hope they beat us now. I promise you we will get better. Take advantage now.”
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