Dave Fergerson is getting loose.

After struggling through most of this season, the senior guard from Merced, Calif., has rebounded. And he’s done that by loosening up a little bit.

“I’m just playing and just having fun, like when you are 12 or 13 years old,” said Fergerson.

That approach led Fergerson to his best outing of the year last Saturday at DePaul.

In one of the biggest games of the year, he came off the bench to score 18 points: he was six of eight from the field, four of five from the free throw line, and had four assists and three rebounds. He even hit two of three shots from three-point land.

Fergerson’s season-high 33 minutes led the Billikens to a 75-69 overtime victory over the No. 23-ranked Blue Demons.

“Dave came up with his best effort all year,” coach Lorenzo Romar said.

Last night, Fergerson notched 11 points and three steals in 23 minutes of action. As in the DePaul game, he was the first man off the bench.

Fergerson’s play couldn’t have come at a better time for the Bills. SLU had been 1-3 in Conference USA and had suffered through a nine-game losing streak in C-USA road games.

The team needed a big win.

“He’s really starting to play a lot better,” Romar said. “What a great time to elevate his play.”

Before the DePaul game, Fergerson was stuck in a rut. He came to SLU last year as a junior college transfer and he established himself as one of the team’s best players, splitting time between the point and shooting guard positions.

While averaging two assists and two rebounds per game. He even shared the team’s most valuable player award with Virgil Cobbin. Fergerson was having fun.

“Last year, I just came into the program,” Fergerson said. “I wasn’t familiar with Spoon’s system, so I was just playing.”

With Fergerson’s solid year, expectations this season were high from coaches and fans.

But he had to fight John Redden and Marque Perry for his starting position. Redden won the job. When he went out with a foot injury, Perry took over, leaving Fergerson as the man off the bench.

“Coming into this year, everybody expected the same thing,” he said. “I still had to work for my position.”

It’s taken half of the season for Fergerson to play well, but things are starting to pay off.

He attributes that to shaking off the expectations and being more comfortable under Romar’s new style of play.

He’s averaging 5.6 points per game in over 17 minutes of action per game.

“I got the feel of what he wants me to do on this team,” he said. “I’m playing a lot more loose and with a lot more confidence.”

Romar likes Fergerson’s ability to knock down the jump shot and to handle the opponent’s quickest offensive weapons. His assets as a leader should become valuable down the stretch.

“He’s a veteran. He’s got the experience,” Romar said.

“He’s playing at a very high level. That does nothing but help our team.”

For now, Fergerson is happy with his role as a contributor off the bench.

“Whatever is needed that night, that’s the role I’ll play,” he said.