Five questions with Michael Loyd, Jr.

With Jimmer Fredette still recovering from his recent illness and adverse reaction to his medication, the Cougars will continue to put some of the ball-handling and pace-setting responsibilities on the shoulders of reserve point guard Michael Loyd, Jr., who played 16 minutes and notched seven points, two rebounds and two assists against UNLV Wednesday night. I caught up with Loyd after practice Thursday afternoon.

Question: As a team, what did you learn about yourselves against UNLV?

Answer: “We only shot 30-something percent last night when we usually shoot around 50 percent, so we learned that we could still win without shooting well. We’ve got to do the other intangibles and things that help us to win the game — defensive stops, sharing the ball and rebounding on both ends.”

Question: Knowing that Jimmer probably wouldn’t play as much as he usually does, were you nervous or excited at the chance to get some extra minutes?

Answer: “I was both. I was excited to play, but nervous that it was such a tight game. It was a big game for us, the first conference game and playing against my hometown team. I was excited to show that the coach can rely on me to come in and work hard every game. I think I played ok.”

Question: How do you think red-shirting and sitting out for a year helped you prepare for this season?

Answer: “It was difficult, but I learned a lot. I looked at it as a chance to work on my game. I watched a lot and was able to see what others do that works for them and implement some new things into my own game. I really focused on being a better point guard and college player. My freshman year was a good experience, but I feel like I’ve changed a lot and adapted to the pace of playing against better players.”

Question: What specific abilities do you bring to the team?

Answer: “I feel like I’m good in the transition game with my ability to push the ball up the court. I’m always looking to attack and advance the ball, which are things coach likes us to do. So, I feel like I’m an extension of coach out on the court.”

Question: What is your favorite basketball memory?

Answer: “It had to be last night, now. It was a pretty big game and I was able to come in and play some big minutes. The crowd was loud and we pulled out the win. Just being on the court when we came back in the last few minutes was really cool.”