Greg Spurlock met new Coppin State men’s basketball coach Larry Stewart at his introductory conference May 5 inside the university’s Talon Center. The junior guard had an inkling of Stewart’s personality even before they met.

“A lot of people told me before that we would end up liking him and that what you see is what you get,” Spurlock said. “They were right.”

What Spurlock and some of his teammates have discovered is a 55-year-old NBA veteran and well-traveled Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference assistant coach who is comfortable in his own skin and doesn’t feel a pressing need to go nuclear at the simplest mistake.

Said redshirt junior forward Justin Winston: “I wouldn’t say he’s a yeller. He’s kind of laidback, but he expects you to go hard every game. I feel like he’s good for all the guys. He’s a player’s coach because he understands, he’s been in our shoes.”

That doesn’t mean that Stewart can’t crank up the intensity level when he wants or needs to. Whether as the only player in Eagles history to amass 1,000 points and rebounds in his career or as the first undrafted player in NBA history to be named to the All-Rookie Team in 1991-92, Stewart’s competitive spirit can’t be questioned.

But for now, Stewart said his objective is to develop a relationship with his players that allows both parties to enjoy their best results.

“I just want them to go out and be the best at doing the little things,” he said. “I’ve been around this game a long time, and I just want them to understand that there are little things that are going to help them win or lose in the game of basketball. So I’m just trying to get these guys focused on doing the little things and being the best at what they do.”

Besides creating a culture of trust and respect between the players and coaches, Stewart is emphasizing the need to play defense and coax contributions from every player. Last season, Coppin State (9-23, 4-10 MEAC) ranked second-to-last in the conference in points allowed per game (83.2) and scoring margin per game (minus-11.2).

Point guard Sam Sessoms and shooting guard Nendah Tarke averaged 20.5 and 12.5 points, respectively, but they were the only players to reach double digits. Six of the team’s top seven scorers are gone with Winston returning as the leading scorer at 8.1 points per game.

“I feel like it’s actually going to look a little bit crisper this year,” Winston said. “You’ll probably see more of a team. Last year, I feel like we were a little more broken up maybe or it may have seemed like that on the court. But this year, everyone’s going to get theirs, everyone’s going to get their little part of the game. There are going to be a lot of key guys on the court.”

Stewart succeeds former Maryland shooting guard Juan Dixon, who compiled a 51-131 overall record and a 37-51 MEAC mark in six years. As much as he enjoyed playing for Dixon, Spurlock said Stewart provides a fresh approach.

“I feel like just having a brand new [perspective], just seeing something new because what I heard a lot was how under Coach Dixon, it was just the same thing, no real adjustments,” he said. “I feel like just hearing a different voice, especially for us returners, was just something we needed and is going to help us get over the hump.”

Stewart said he’s not interested in being compared with Dixon.

“I understand the comparisons, but we’re two totally different people,” he said. “He had his philosophy, and I have mine. I work hard on my philosophy each and every day. I’m not trying to worry about who was here before.”

How quickly Stewart can revive the Eagles remains to be seen. They were voted to finish seventh out of eight teams in the MEAC preseason poll and have zero players on any of the three MEAC preseason teams.

The program also has to mesh six freshmen and five transfers with five returners. As much as alumni, boosters and fans might expect fast results, they won’t match Stewart’s objectives.

“I’m a coach. I want to win every game,” he said. “But I understand that winning is not easy. It takes a lot for a team to win. So you’ve just got to be focused on doing those little things each and every day. Only a coach knows what his team needs, and you have to focus on those things each and every day. If you establish that culture, the wins will come.”

Here’s what else you need to know about the Baltimore-area men’s basketball programs:

Loyola Maryland

Coach: Tavaras Hardy, sixth season

Last season: 13-20, 7-11 Patriot League

Postseason: Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal, No. 8 seed

Preseason conference poll: Sixth out of 10 teams

Starters gone (2): SG Kenneth Jones (11.5 points per game, 3.5 assists per game, 2.0 rebounds per game), SG Jaylin Andrews (11.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg)

Starters back (3): PG Deon Perry (11.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.0 apg), PF Alonso Faure (8.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg), PF Golden Dike (7.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg)

One-liner: The Greyhounds welcome back PF Milos Ilic (5.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg in 23 starts in 2021-22) after he missed last season with an injury, and Old Dominion transfer D’Angelo Stines (Mount Saint Joseph) joins the mix.

Maryland

Coach: Kevin Willard, second season

Last season: 22-13, 11-9 Big Ten Conference

Postseason: Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinal, No. 6 seed; NCAA Tournament second round, No. 8 seed

Preseason conference poll: Third out of 14 teams

Starters gone (2): SG Hakim Hart (11.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.6 apg), SG Don Carey (7.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg)

Starters back (3): PG Jahmir Young (15.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.1 apg), SF Donta Scott (11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg), PF Julian Reese (11.4 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

One-liner: The Terps are expected to be in the mix to compete for the Big Ten title under second-year coach Kevin Willard with a talented trio of returning starters and one of the program’s best freshmen classes, headlined by four-star recruit DeShawn Harris-Smith, in recent years.

Morgan State

Coach: Kevin Broadus, fifth season

Last season: 15-16, 7-7 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Postseason: MEAC Tournament quarterfinal, No. 5 seed

Preseason conference poll: Fourth out of eight teams

Starters gone (3): PG Isaiah Burke (18.7 ppg, 2.8 apg, 2.3 rpg), SG Malik Miller (17.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.9 apg), PF Khalil Turner (9.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

Starters back (2): SF Will Thomas (8.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), SG Kamron Hobbs (8.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.7 apg)

One-liner: The Bears return 30.2% of their scoring, 24.5% of their rebounding and 34.3% of their minutes played from last season.

Mount St. Mary’s

Coach: Dan Engelstad, sixth season

Last season: 13-20, 8-12 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

Postseason: MAAC Tournament quarterfinal, No. 8 seed

Preseason conference poll: Seventh out of 11 teams

Starters gone (3): PG Jalen Benjamin (16.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.8 rpg), PF Malik Jefferson (8.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), SG Deandre Thomas (7.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.3 apg)

Starters back (2): SG Dakota Leffew (13.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg), SF George Tinsley (7.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg)

One-liner: The Mountaineers could use the healthy version of shooting guard Joshua Reaves (only three games last season because of leg surgery), who contributed 7.0 points and 2.5 rebounds and shot 37.7% from 3-point range to the 2020-21 team that captured the Northeast Conference title.

Navy

Coach: Ed DeChellis, 13th season

Last season: 18-13, 11-7 Patriot League

Postseason: Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal, No. 2 seed

Preseason conference poll: Tied for seventh out of 10 teams

Starters gone (4): PF Daniel Deaver (13.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.9 apg), SF Tyler Nelson (12.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg), SG Sean Yoder (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg), SG Patrick Dorsey (6.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg)

Starters back (1): PG Austin Inge (6.0 ppg, 2.3 apg)

One-liner: The Midshipmen return only 23% of their points and 30% of their minutes played from last season.

Towson

Coach: Pat Skerry, 13th season

Last season: 21-12, 12-6 Coastal Athletic Association

Postseason: CAA Tournament semifinal, No. 3 seed

Preseason conference poll: Tied for fifth out of 14 teams

Starters gone (4): SG Nicolas Timberlake (17.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.4 apg), SF Cam Holden (14.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.8 apg), SG Nygal Russell (7.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg), PG Ryan Conway (6.4 ppg)

Starters back (1): PF Charles Thompson (12.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg)

One-liner: The Tigers are still waiting to hear from the NCAA on their application for a waiver for transfer shooting guard Nendah Tarke (12.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.1 apg at Coppin State) to play this season.

UMBC

Coach: Jim Ferry, third season

Last season: 18-14, 8-8 America East Conference

Postseason: AEC Tournament quarterfinal, No. 4 seed

Preseason conference poll: Sixth out of nine teams

Starters gone (5): SG Colton Lawrence (12.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg), SG Jacob Boonyasith (10.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.7 apg), PF Yaw Obeng-Mensah (8.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg), PF Jarvis Doles (8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg), PG Craig Beaudion (8.0 ppg, 3.9 apg, 2.5 rpg)

Starters back (0): None

One-liner: SG Matteo Picarelli (10.1 ppg, 39.4% 3-point range) transferring to Temple leaves SG Dion Brown (7.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) as the Retrievers’ most experienced returner.

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