BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola University Maryland's Braeden Speed was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week Monday after averaging 12 points during the opening week of the 2024-25 season for the Greyhounds.
 
Speed shot 58.3 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free-throw line during a pair of games while scoring 24 points and also accumulating six steals and five assists.
 
The freshman from Phoenix, Arizona, made his Loyola debut in the starting lineup on Monday night against Columbia in the Greyhounds' season opener.
 
He scored five seconds into the game after grabbing the loose ball off the tip and going to the rim for a layup, and he finished with 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the field.
 
Speed came back Saturday night in the Greyhounds' win against Lancaster Bible to score 11 points in less than 17 minutes. He made 7 of 8 from the free-throw line and also had five steals and three assists.
 
His 24 points are the most in a Loyola freshman's first two games since Andre Walker scored 28 against Texas Tech and Cornell to open his career in November 2014. Walker would go on to be a three-time All-Patriot League player for the Greyhounds.
 
The Greyhounds will be back on the court Tuesday night with their first road game of the season with a 7 o'clock tipoff at NJIT in Newark, New Jersey.