Nov. 27, 2001

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QUICKLY
The Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team were taught a harsh lesson in their first road game of the season in a 84-70 loss to Cal State Fullerton. The Lions will now have a chance to make a huge statement early in the 2001-02 season as they face a tough three-game stretch that starts on Nov. 28 against defending Big West Conference champions UC Irvine at Gersten Pavilion. LMU will then travel to College Station, Texas, to take on Texas A&M on Dec. 2 and then on Dec. 5 return home to host UC Santa Barbara, who is picked by many to be this year's best team in the Big West Conference.

Eating it up
The Anteaters from UC Irvine had one of the school's all-time best seasons in 2000-01, finishing 25-5 and 15-1 to win the Big West Conference regular season championship. Irvine started the 2001-02 season winning their first two games, both coming against West Coast Conference opponents Saint Mary's and Pepperdine. However, they have lost two of their last three playing in the University Hoops Classic in Moon Township, PA, and sit at 3-2 heading into the game against the Lions on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7:35 p.m. The game is part of an LMU basketball doubleheader, as the women's basketball team will take on Cal Poly at 5 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion.

FAST START
Freshman Andy Osborn began his collegiate career with one of the greatest starts of any freshman at LMU. His first three games at LMU earned him Player of the Week honors by the West Coast Conference for the week of Nov. 12. He started with 14 points and five rebounds in the loss to Samford, and then followed it with an even better performance in the win against Mississippi Valley State. The Longmont, Colo., native had 10 points and 10 rebounds at halftime to record his first collegiate double-double. He finished the game with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting, 12 rebounds and two assists. His double-double makes him only the ninth freshman in LMU history to achieve such a feat. He becomes the quickest to ever earn a double-double, getting it in only his second game as a Lion. In addition, his double-digit effort is one of the best combinations by a freshman. His 12 rebounds ranks him in a tie for second all-time with Forrest McKenzie for rebounds in a game by a freshman. In his third game at the college level, Osborn played 17 minutes in his third start in as many games, serving a more supportive role. He still managed to score nine points and grab four rebounds. He added his first block of his career and was four-of-seven from the field. Against Cal State Fullerton he had foul trouble, picking up two fouls in the first minute of play. He only played one minute in the half, but finished playing 17 to finish with 10 points and three rebounds. More on Osborn....after four games, he leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game, is second with 11.3 points per game and a shooting percentage of .571 (20-of-35). He is also tied for second with four three-pointers and is fourth in minutes played (21.0).

Injury update
Junior Miroslav Neskovic suffered a broken left rib in Saturday's contest against Cal State Fullerton. After an x-ray, a small break was found. Neskovic will be out three to four weeks.

WITH TOUCH INSIDE
Senior Greg Lakey finds himself leading the Lions in scoring after four games in his final collegiate season. The Lynwood, CA, native has averaged 13.3 points in four games, and led the Lions with 16 in the loss to Cal State Fullerton. Lakey's scoring has been with marksmanship accuracy, shooting 70.6 percent from the field (24-34) to start the season. His 30 minutes per game average is also tops on the team, showing that he has recovered from major foot surgery over the summer. He is also second on the team with 5.3 rebounds per game.

FROM DOWNTOWN
Opponents have been throwing it up from downtown against the Lions this season. Of 235 shots by Lion opponents, 114 have been three pointers (49 percent). However, the Lions defense has clamped down, allowing opponents to hit just 30 percent of those three-point attempts. After two games in Alabama, the Lions opponents of Samford and Mississippi Valley State combined for 70 three-point attempts on 116 total field goal attempts. On the flip side, the Lions have shown to go deep themselves, hitting 20-of-49 from beyond the arc for a clip of 41 percent. On the early season the Lions are hitting 48 percent from the field (104-of-216), while averaging 67.8 points per game.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Lions made it two straight home opener victories under second year Head Coach Steve Aggers with a 67-56 win over Idaho State on Saturday, Nov. 17. Idaho State, playing their season opener, came out on fire, taking a quick 9-0 lead four minutes into the opening half. However, the Lions and sophomore Keith Kincade responded, scoring the next 14 points to take a 14-9 lead. Kincade scored 10 of the 14 points in the run and finished the game with a career high 18 points. Kincade, who transferred from West Virginia a year ago and sat out the 2000-01 season due to NCAA transfer rules, was six-of-nine from the field including a three-pointer, adding a career high six rebounds and two assists. Senior Greg Lakey also had a big game, hitting seven-of-eight field goals for 16 points and leading the team with seven boards. Senior point guard Eurskine Robinson had one of his best all around games running the Lions offense, scoring 10 points, including a six-for-six effort at the free throw line down the stretch to seal the win for the Lions. Robinson added five assists and a career high four steals. Senior walk-on Sean Mollins continues to be a spark off the bench, grabbing six rebounds, scoring five points and dishing out a career high five assists. The Lions have been tough in home openers, winning six of their last eight. They have a 15-3 record in the last 18 openers at Gersten Pavilion.

REBOUNDING
The Lions have once again made their mark on the glass in the early 2001-02 season with one of the more dominating rebounding performances in school history. In game two of the Guardians Classic, a 74-65 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Lions out-rebounded the Delta Devils, 51-26. The rebound margin of +25 is the largest since the Lions out-rebounded Sonoma State by 26, 56-30, in the 1995-96 season opener on Nov. 24, 1995. Freshman Andy Osborn led the Lions with 12 in the win, and was joined by senior point guard Eurskine Robinson, who had a career high nine rebounds. The Lions out-rebounded their opponents in 18 of 28 games in 2000-01 and they opened the season by out-rebounding two of their first three opponents. A surprise for the Lions was walk-on senior Sean Mollins, who finished the game against Samford with eight boards, tieing a career high. The transfer from De Anza College was voted the Lions most improved player in 2000-01 and once again showed why by helping the Lions turn a rebounding deficit in the first half to a positive by games end. He was at it again against Idaho State, grabbing six rebounds, five of them defensive. Osborn leads the team with 6.0 rebounds per game, followed by senior Greg Lakey with 5.3 and Mollins with 5.0. Keith Kincade jumped his average to 4.5.

GETTING OFFENSIVE
A balanced offensive is once again the key to the Lions' attack, as they already have six players on the season scoring in double digits. In addition, they have had at least three players do it per game in all four contests this season. Senior Robert Davis is no stranger to scoring in double digits, as he led the team with 19 games in double figures last season. He has done it twice this season, starting the season with 10 against Samford. Also in double figures in the season opener was senior Greg Lakey, who had 12 for the Lions and Marcus Smith added 10, joining freshman Andy Osborn who had 14. Smith tied a career high with two three-pointers and four three-point attempts. The following night, the Lions were at it again, as Osborn (15), Davis (10) and Smith (18) were joined by sophomore Kent Dennis (13) in double-digit scoring. Dennis went three-for-three from the three-point line and four-of-six for the game. The four players in double figures is nothing new for the Lions, who did it six times last season. Against Idaho State, Lakey had his second game in double digits with 16 on seven-of-eight shooting and was joined by senior Eurskine Robinson (10) and sophomore Keith Kincade (18). Kincade set a career high in points, field goals made and attempted. All told, 10 of the Lions 11 players last season scored in double figures. Lakey (16), Smith (10) and Osborn (10) were at again against Cal State Fullerton.

MORE ON DAVIS
Senior Robert Davis does have the distinction of being the only third-year Lion on the court. After spending his sophomore season at Chandler Gilbert Community College in Arizona, he returned to the program in Head Coach Steve Aggers' first season. With his return, he picked up right where he left off. Davis played in 26 of 28 games as a true freshman in 1998-99, scoring 7.1 points per game while hitting 39 percent from behind the three-point line. In his return a year ago, Davis became the Lions' leading scorer with a 11.9 average, giving him 517 points in his career at LMU. He had 19 games scoring 10 or more points, and with his nine as a freshman, he entered the 2001-02 season with 28 games scoring in double figures. His two in the early season against Samford and Mississippi Valley State give him 30 in his career. Much of Davis' scoring has been from behind the arch, hitting 46 three-pointers in 2000-2001. Davis finds himself sneaking into the all-time record books at LMU in made three-pointers. His 81 career three-pointers heading into the 2001-02 season was tied with Per Stumer for 10th all-time at LMU. With two against Samford, he moves into 10th place by himself. He added two more against Mississippi Valley State, giving him 85 in his career. The record of 363 by Jeff Fryer may never be touched, but Davis needs 21 to move into a four-way tie for seventh all-time with 106. Craig Holt (1991-92), Jim Williamson (1994-97) and Willie Allen (1995-99) all sit at 106.

CLAMPING DOWN
After allowing Samford to hit 56 percent from the field in the season opener, the LMU defense has clamped down, holding Mississippi Valley State and Idaho State to 34 percent. The first half has been really tough to score on in the last two games, as the Lions held the Delta Devils to 26 percent in the first half and Idaho State to 32 percent. Leading the way is senior point guard Eurskine Robinson, who had a career high four steals against Idaho State. The Palmdale native has had solid outings for the Lions after recovering from a left foot injury in the first exhibition game against Pro Hoops Australia, grabbing a career high nine rebounds in the win over Mississippi Valley State and then scoring 10 points with five assists and four steals in the win over Idaho State.

LOOKING AHEAD The Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team has been invited to the 2002 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, as the University of Alaska Anchorage announced the eight-team field during its annual Tip-off Luncheon on Nov. 21. The 25th annual college basketball event is scheduled for Nov. 27-30 at Sullivan Arena and will include some of the top names in college basketball. Joining the Lions, who will make their first trip to Alaska, are host Alaska-Anchorage, Cincinnati, Michigan State, Northern Arizona, Oklahoma State, Villanova and Wyoming. The Lions will be the second straight representative from the West Coast Conference, as Gonzaga concluded the 2001 Shootout with a runner-up finish. The Bulldogs lost in the championship game to Marquette over the Thanksgiving weekend. "This is a great opportunity for our program," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "For us to continue to improve our program, we have to attract the top players. To get the players, we have to play and compete against the best in the country. The Great Alaska Shootout does that for us."

TOURNEY EXPERIENCE
The Lions, who finished their first preseason exempt tournament since 1990-91 with a record of 1-1, are no strangers to preseason tournaments. The last appearance for the Lions in a preseason tournament was the Nike Festival in Honolulu, HI, in the 1995-96 season. The Lions defeated both Hawaii (82-80) and Nevada (75-67) that season. In the 1980s and early 1990s the Lions were a common sighting in preseason tournaments. Dating back to 1955-56 when the Lions began play in the West Coast Conference (then the West Coast Athletic Conference), LMU has appeared in 38 preseason tournaments (tournaments prior to Jan. 1 of that season and not including the WCAC Christmas Tournament). The Lions have posted a 30-48 record in preseason tournaments including the Guardians Classic.

THE PAVILION TURNS 20 The Lions' home opener on Nov. 17 against Idaho State was the beginning the 20th season of basketball at Gersten Pavilion. Opening on Jan. 15, 1981, the men's basketball team has set many records, including several national NCAA records. More memorable moments in Gersten's history include the Lions' 16-game winning streak from Feb. 28, 1987 through Nov. 28, 1988. Gersten is also the home of the all-time NCAA Division I highest scoring game, a 186-140 win by the Lions over US International on Jan. 5, 1991.

WCC TURNS 50 With the basketball season getting underway for West Coast Conference teams this weekend, the WCC celebrates its 50th anniversary. The league's current membership consists of eight private institutions (Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara) and has grown from just a men's basketball conference to now sponsoring 13 sports that compete on a national level. For five decades, the league has been driven by student-athletes with the common goal of academic excellence and athletic achievement. The league was founded in 1952 in an effort to create a convenient way for five Bay Area schools to play basketball. The five charter members, including Saint Mary's, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Pacific and San Jose State, joined together 50 years ago to form the California Basketball Association, beginning play on January 2, 1953. The league expanded in 1955 to include Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine and changed the conference name to the West Coast Athletic Conference in 1956. The name was shortened to West Coast Conference in 1989. The WCC has had 15 different schools as a part of its 50-year tradition, but the conference has stood proudly with the same eight member institutions since 1979. With the same membership for 22 years, the West Coast Conference is one of the most stable leagues in the nation, with only the Ivy League and Pac-10 retaining its membership for a longer period of time.

ON TELEVISION This season the men's basketball team will make at least six appearances on television and that number could reach 10 by the end of the season. Fox Sports West just added the Lions game against Southern California on Dec. 22. The Lions will appear three other times on Fox Sports Net (FSN). In addition, ESPN Plus will televise the Lions game against UNLV on Dec. 15. For the whole schedule, see page 5.

TIP-OFF DINNER
The Loyola Marymount men's basketball program started a new tradition on Saturday, Nov. 10 with its Tip-off Dinner. Held at University Hall on the campus of Loyola Marymount University, the first-year event had more than 200 people in attendance. The guest speaker of the event was Pete Newell, who was a three-year letterwinner in men's basketball at LMU. Newell went on to win a national championship as the head coach of the University of California-Berkeley in 1959 and then coached the 1960 U.S. Olympic basketball team to the gold medal. His efforts in the sport of basketball earned him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. LMU Head Coach Steve Aggers also spoke during the event and introduced the 2001-2002 LMU Lions.

BRIGHT FUTURE
Loyola Marymount University men's basketball coach Steve Aggers announced the signing of four high school seniors to National Letters of Intent. John Haywood, Brandon Worthy, Chris Ayer and Wes Wardrop will don Lion uniforms during the 2002-2003 season. "This summer we set out to find three quality perimeter players and a true center," said Aggers, who is in his second season at the helm of the Lions. "To improve in the WCC, our staff felt getting bigger on the perimeter and having a true low post threat were critical elements for future success. These four young men meet our objectives and are high caliber students who will contribute to the LMU community for four years." Haywood is a 6-6, 200-pound wing from Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California. Averaging 14 points and seven rebounds as a junior, Haywood led his high school team to a 20-9 record and a quarter-final finish in last years CIF southern section playoffs. An All-Del Rey League performer, Haywood was also tabbed a pre-season Street and Smith's All American honorable mention selection. Haywood has participated in the Los Angeles Rockfish organization under the direction of Dave Benezra. Worthy, from San Jose, California is a 6-2, 195-pound guard. As a freshman at Archbishop Mitty High School he averaged 19.5 points earning CIF Central Section Freshman of the Year honors. In his sophomore campaign, Worthy improved to 21.5 points, 8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and three steals while leading his team to the CIF Central Section Championship and being named the CIF Central Section Sophomore of the Year. Both seasons his team won 17 games and he was named first-team all-league. Worthy sat out his junior season after transferring to Mount Pleasant High School in accordance with CIF rules. He was also ranked among the top 120 players nationally by SchoolSports.com. Measuring 6-11 and weighing 250-pounds, Chris Ayer comes to LMU from Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, Arizona. As a junior under Flowing Wells coach David Verdugo, Ayer averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks per game. He has over 300 blocked shots in his high school career leading his team to 38 wins over the past two seasons, two Arizona state playoff appearances, one 5A south regional championship game and while receiving a nomination for the McDonald's All-American Team. He is ranked as one of the top 25 players in the western United States by PrepWestHoops.com, the #4 center in the West and one of the top two players in Arizona. Ayer is deciding between engineering and animation as a major. At 6-3, 195-pounds, Wardrop is a native of Anaheim, California. He attended Loara High School prior to transferring to Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. Worcester competes in the "#1 ranked prep school basketball league in America" according to the Recruiters Handbook. Wardrop is a strong, physical guard who averaged 15 points, 5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 3 steals as a junior. Worcester went 17-7 last season with Wardrop voted one of 15 All-New England team selections. ESPN.com and RecruitingUSA.com both ranked Wardrop as one of the top 100 high school seniors nationally after this July's evaluation period. In the off-season he plays for Dave Benezra's Los Angeles Rockfish organization with John Haywood.