Marquise Kennedy basked in the moment.
A sense of euphoria and accomplishment engulfed him.
Kennedy has achieved a great deal on the basketball court, but nothing quite like this.
“I tried to take in every single moment,” he said. “It was an amazing feeling.”
On March 7, Loyola had defeated Drake to win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis.
Kennedy, a sophomore guard for the Ramblers and a 2019 Brother Rice graduate, was still emotional talking about it four days later.
“That was probably the only time I’ve won a conference championship in my basketball career,” Kennedy said. “Being able to cut down the net, I think you can tell how much it impacted me.”
For certain.
It’s no wonder Kennedy, who threw down a dunk in the first half, was emotional.
The win earned the Ramblers an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. Loyola (24-4), seeded eighth in the Midwest Regional, will play at 3 p.m. Friday against ninth-seeded Georgia Tech (17-8) at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse.
It wasn’t exclusively winning the conference tournament, however, that gave rise to Kennedy’s emotions.
It also had to do with how the Ramblers rose to the occasion while wading through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
It required teamwork and execution. Very similar to avoiding the traps of a full-court press.
“All the different challenges, from not being able to work out during the summer to not being able to go to the gym,” Kennedy said. “It was tough. But we got stronger and stronger as the year went on.”
There’s no denying that. The Ramblers, ranked No. 17 in The Associated Press poll, will enter March Madness having won six straight games and 17 out of their last 18.
Success has been achieved the old fashioned way — by playing lockdown defense.
Loyola has the No. 1-ranked defense in the country. Up until the game against Drake, the Ramblers had held opponents to fewer than 58 points in 17 straight games.
“We pride ourselves on our defense,” Kennedy said. “We keep our foot to the pedal all game.”
Kennedy had a number of remarkable achievements during his three-year varsity career at Brother Rice. He averaged 25 points, six rebounds and four assists as a senior.
I can’t tell you how many times I watched him step up and hit game-winning shots.
He was money — Mr. Clutch.
Kennedy’s role at Loyola, though, has been different. He has come off the bench the past two seasons, averaging 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 18 minutes this season.
He confirmed it has been an adjustment to not start.
In a nod to his character, however, he hasn’t sulked or thought about entering the transfer portal.
Instead, he has worked harder, adding 23 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-1 frame. And he has embraced his role, although he has every intention of starting next season.
“It’s been hard but not impossible not starting,” he said. “My teammates and coaches made it easier. It’s about buying into the team and doing whatever I can to help the team win.
“The guys in front of me are really good players and are mentors and leaders. Watching them every day has made me better.”
So has playing for Loyola coach Porter Moser. And it’s not only because of the success the team has achieved.
“He’s passionate,” Kennedy said. “He brings a certain mentality every day. He asks us to do something productive every day and do it with a smile on your face — just like he does. He stays positive even after losses.”
When Loyola was making its Cinderella run in 2018, tying a record as the lowest seed at No. 11 to reach the Final Four, Kennedy was a junior at Brother Rice.
Loyola became the darling of the nation, upsetting higher-seeded Miami, Tennessee, Nevada and Kansas State before falling to Michigan.
Kennedy believes the Ramblers have what it takes to produce a similar run. A potential second-round showdown against top-seeded Illinois looms.
“Knowing the players and coaches right now, I’m not surprised by our success,” he said. “We know what we’re capable of. We’re excited for the opportunity.”
As well they should.