At the midway point of their season, the Gustavus Men’s Basketball team has so far experienced a roller coaster type ride; starting off well but hitting some low points in recent weeks. The Gusties currently hold a 10-5 record overall and are 6-4 in conference play.
“We have a good, experienced team. We started really strong, but since Christmas we’ve hit some speed bumps, similar to last season,” Senior Captain Isaac Tapp said.
These speed bumps include three losses in the past few weeks to MIAC opponents, St. Olaf, Augsburg, and Concordia. Despite these low points, the Gusties have also had many strong moments this season which they hope to see more of in the weeks to come.
“It’s been a turbulent season. We’ve had some really great moments and some less than impressive ones. We need to gain consistency in our play and hopefully add more quality wins,” Senior Captain Martin Feddersen said.
The greatest moment of the year so far has been a home victory over MIAC rival St. Thomas. When asked about the big win Tapp said, “The win shows how good we can be as a team.”
This potential was exhibited in other MIAC wins including victories over Carleton, Hamline, and a big conference win over St. John’s last Saturday at home.The results of these games have maintained the possibility of a MIAC title inspite of recent losses. Every team plays conference members twice, so if the Gusties can adjust their play in the coming weeks they can still challenge other MIAC teams.
While the team may face challenges on the court, off the court they have stood strong.
First-year Guard Jacob Herd, who is a member of the Varsity team, but has also participated on the JV side of the court, described the locker room atmosphere as very positive.
“The team chemistry is really good. Everyone seems to get along with everyone with no problems,” Herd said. “My favorite part of playing here at Gustavus is the fact that I get to play with an amazing group of teammates. Getting to know these guys more and more makes it that much better to play here.”
The next time the Gusties take the court at home will be Wed., Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. when the team hosts Carleton College in a MIAC conference game.
-Jake Woodrich