Despite winning only three of their last 10 games, the SF State men's basketball team doesn't feel an urge to hit the panic button just yet.

After an 8-1 start, the program's best in 50 years, the Gators lost six out of their last eight games, leaving them with a 10-7 overall record for the season.

Head coach Bill Treseler feels that his team's struggles in January were due to a lack of consistency and a few tough breaks rather than overall poor play or underachieving as a team. "We've been streaky, real streaky," Treseler said. "We've played up to potential at times, but there's still room for growth and improvement."

The team lived up to some of that potential last weekend when they swept their series against Cal Poly Pomona and CSU San Bernardino for the first time in school history.

Before that series, most of the Gators' recent troubles came on the road, where they are now 2-5.

Forward Darryl Robinson, the Gators' second-leading rebounder with 5.3 rebounds per game, pointed out that his team had a winning record on the road last season and has the ability to do it again.

"We were great on the road last year," Robinson said. "We've kept on battling, and we're a hard-nosed defensive team. We're a good team with great leadership and a great coaching staff."

SF State lost four out of their last seven road games by eight points or fewer, leaving Gator players like Phoenix O'Rourke to believe part of his team's problem is simply luck.

"The ball hasn't been bouncing our way," O'Rourke said. "I'm confident things will turn around for us."

Robinson agrees with his coach that consistency is key in order to smooth out his team's rocky stretch of games.

"We really need to focus on finishing and treating every possession like it's our last," Robinson said. "We can't lose our edge or focus."

When the Gators do play at home, fans have been filling out most of the student section, giving the home team some vocal energy and moral support.

"It's really fun for our guys to play in front of friends, family and other athletes," Treseler said. "A fun element of being a basketball player here [at SF State] is the great support."

O'Rourke, who is averaging 6.2 points a game, thinks fans who come to the game give the team a real home-court advantage.

"The fans have been great. 'Gator Nation' has been crazy, and the baseball guys are always in the front row heckling the other team," O'Rourke said.

The Gators, who will play eight of their last 12 games at home, feel confident they can take the success of their first eight games and duplicate it over the last half of the season.

"We're determined to finish strong and get to the finish line," Treseler said.

Robinson is more than willing to finish the race for his coach.

"We have all the tools to finish strong," Robinson said. "We just need to focus and put it all together."

When asked whether or not he believed his team will be in the postseason and have success, Treseler answered with the same consistency and confidence he was expecting from the second half of the season.

"Definitely. We'll be in the postseason. I'm very confident in what we've put together here," Treseler said.