Jan. 3, 2002

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QUICKLY
Earning its most lopsided victory since 1996 with the 81-55 win against Occidental, the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) men's basketball team wrapped up their home non-conference schedule and will now travel to Portland, OR, to take on Portland State on Saturday, Jan. 5, at 7:05 p.m. The game against the Vikings will mark the halfway point of the Lions 2001-02 season and it will be the final non-conference game and third contest in seven days.

THE VIKINGS
Portland State is 5-7 on the season and are members of the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings turned heads earlier in the season by defeating Arizona State in Tempe to start the season 2-0. Since then they are 3-7 and are 2-2 against West Coast Conference schools. They have defeated Portland and Santa Clara, while losing to Gonzaga and San Diego.

RESTORING THE ROAR
It has been a successful non-conference campaign to date for the Lions, who enter the final game of the non-conference with a record of 7-6. The seven non-conference wins are the most since 1995-96 when the team went 9-3 heading into conference play. During the stretch of wins, the Lions have marked the most lopsided wins against a Division I opponent with the 18-point win over Sacramento State and against any division opponent with the 26-point win against Occidental. With the early-season success, LMU has taken hold of second year Head Coach Steve Aggers' 'Team First' approach. Since he became the Lions' 22nd head coach in April 2000, Aggers has taken the program from an RPI ranking of #314 and in just over 18 months has turned it into an RPI of #189 as of Jan. 1. In the middle of the Lions' three-game win streak from Dec. 2 through Dec. 8 the Lions found themselves with their highest RPI ranking in more than nine years at #76. The fast start also has the Lions sitting among the top three of the West Coast Conference. The rise has been in part to the Lions hot shooting. Heading into the weekend, the Lions ranked #1 in shooting at 46.4 percent and #1 in free throw shooting at 77.9 percent (which is ranked fifth in the nation) in the West Coast Conference.

BALANCE, BALANCE AND MORE BALANCE
The 'Team First' Lions attack has been very balanced this season, as they started the season with 10 straight games with three or more players scoring in double figures. The Lions have only had two players in double digits the past three games, but against Occidental it wasn't double figures that showed the Lions' balance. Against the Tigers, all 12 players scored and leading scorers, freshman Andy Osborn and senior Greg Lakey, combined for just 10 of the Lions 81 points. Junior Miroslav Neskovic and sophomore Sherman Gay both had career highs and the Lions played unselfish basketball, finishing with 20 assists. This season, balance has been the key. They have had two games with five players scoring in double figures (Long Beach State and Sacramento State), two games with four players with 10 or more points (Samford and Mississippi Valley State) and six with three players in double figures. They first had five players in double digits against Sacramento State in the 95-77 win on Dec. 8. Against the 49ers, sophomore Sherman Gay and senior Sean Mollins were two of the five in double digits, each scoring 10 points. That gave the Lions 10 players on the season to score double digits in a game, with six different players finishing a game leading the team in scoring. Both Davis and Lakey lead the team with eight games each in double figures. Freshman Andy Osborn and sophomore Keith Kincade each have seven games in double digits. They are followed by sophomore Kent Dennis and senior Marcus Smith with three, senior Eurskine Robinson and Gay with two and freshman Charles Brown and Mollins with one.

SUBS, PLEASE!
The Lions have proven this season they are a much deeper team than in years past, as evident by the bench scoring. Bench scoring has been a large of the Lions recent success. It continued in the 81-55 win over Occidental. The Lions bench scored 49 points to just 20 for the Tigers. In the eight-point win at Long Beach State, LMU's bench outscored the 49ers 39-22. Seniors Robert Davis and Sean Mollins, combined with sophomores Sherman Gay and Kent Dennis to score all 39 bench points, with Davis, Mollins and Gay hitting for 10 points each. In the first half, they combined for 26 of the Lions' 33 first half points. The bench output continues a trend for the Lions, who outscored UNLV 31-19 and had their best outing against UC Santa Barbara, outscoring the Gauchos 41-14 in the 77-70 win on Dec. 5. The edge off the bench was first evident in the 80-78 win over Texas A&M in which the bench outscored the Aggies' bench 33-17. On the season, the Lions' subs have outscored the opponent's bench in seven of the 13 games and have only been out scored three times, combining for 387 points to the opponents' 292.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Freshman Andy Osborn has started his collegiate career with one of the greatest debuts 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. He was at it again against UC Irvine, scoring a career-high 18 points and adding 10 rebounds for his second double-double. His two in his young career at LMU ties him with Luther Philyaw for the most by a freshman in LMU history. Only nine have ever accomplished a double-double in their first year of college basketball at LMU, with Philyaw and Osborn the only two doing it twice. More on Osborn....He set his career-high with a quiet 19 points against Sacramento State. After 13 games, he leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game and is tied with senior Greg Lakey in scoring with 10.8 points per game. He has also showed some range from the field, third on the team with 11 three-pointers in 37 attempts (29.7 percent).

THE SIXTH MAN
Senior Robert Davis was asked to take the role of the Lions sixth-man six games ago against Texas A&M. Since taking that role, the Lions are 5-3 heading into the final non-conference game. His role off the bench has been enhanced by his experience, scoring in double figures in six of the eight games as the sixth man. Davis is the only third-year Lion on the court. He began his career with LMU as a freshman 1998-99, playing in 26 of 28 games and averaging 7.1 points per game. After spending his sophomore season at Chandler Gilbert Community College in Arizona, he returned to the program in Head Coach Steve Aggers' first season. In his return, 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 eight this season give him 36 in his career. Much of Davis' scoring has been from behind the arch, hitting 46 three-pointers in 2000-01. 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. His 12 in 2001-02 give him 93 in his career. The record of 363 by Jeff Fryer may never be touched, but Davis needs 15 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.

CHARITY STRIPE
Giving LMU a free trip to the charity stripe has been a dangerous proposition for opponents this season. To date, the Lions as a team are on pace to become the best free throw shooting team in LMU history. The school record is 75.5 percent set by the 1968 team and after 13 games of the 2001-02 season, LMU is hitting 77.9 percent on the season. As of Jan. 3, the Lions were ranked fifth in the nation from the free throw line and tops in the conference. During their three-game homestand from Dec. 5-15, the Lions attempted more than 20 free throws in all three contests. They finished the 70-68 loss to UNLV hitting 18-of-23 (78.3), their lowest during the homestand. They were an amazing 29-for-33 against UC Santa Barbara and 36-for-42 against Sacramento State, which set season highs for both attempts and free throws made. At home, the Lions are hitting 80.1 percent (149-of-186) from the charity stripe. Leading the Lions is senior Eurskine Robinson, who is tops in the West Coast Conference and is seventh in the nation hitting 33-of-35 attempts (94.3 percent). He is followed by senior Greg Lakey at 87.5 percent, freshman Charles Brown at 84.6 percent, senior Marcus Smith at 8.3.3 percent, sophomore Kent Dennis at 81.8 percent and freshman Andy Osborn at 81.3 percent.

THE THREE Ws
With wins against Texas A&M, UC Santa Barbara and Sacramento State, the Lions earned their first three-game winning streak since 1998-99. During the three victories, the Lions put up some impressive numbers. Six players averaged more than 10 points, with senior Robert Davis leading the way with 13.3 points in the three wins. He was followed by Kent Dennis (12.7), Keith Kincade (11.3), Andy Osborn (11.0), Eurskine Robinson (10.7) and Greg Lakey (10.7). Further showing their balanced 'Team First' style, all 11 players in uniform scored and earned an assist in the winning streak. As a team they shot 50 percent from the field (81-for-162), 44 percent from the three-point line (18-for-41) and an amazing 88 percent from the free throw line (72-for-82). They outscored their opponents 84.0 to 75.0.

ROAD TOUGH
LMU went on the road to the Big 12 Conference for the second straight year, taking on Texas A&M in College Station, Texas. The Lions showed its toughness with an exciting 80-78 win over the Aggies on Dec. 2. The victory becomes the third win over teams that currently makeup the Big 12 and the first on the road. The last win came against Colorado, 80-71, in Gersten Pavilion in 1985. All-time the Lions are 3-11 against the Big 12, earning the other win in a neutral site game against Oklahoma in 1967.

THE HOT HAND
In the Lions 80-78 win over Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, LMU finished the game hitting 33-of-53 shots for a shooting percentage of 62.3 percent. It was the first time the Lions finished hitting more than 60 percent from the field since 1996 when they hit 30-of-49 (.612) in a 76-64 win over Cal Poly on Jan. 23. It was the highest shooting percentage since the Lions hit 44-of-65 for an amazing 67.6 percent in a 137-123 win over San Francisco on Feb. 9, 1990. There is more hot shooting for the Lions. They finished the win over the Aggies hitting an even better 63.6 (7-for-11) from the three-point line. It is the highest since the Lions hit 69.2 percent against UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 28, 1994.

KNOCKING OFF THE RUST
Sophomores Keith Kincade and Kent Dennis have been slowly knocking off the rust from the redshirt year they served last season after both transferred from West Virginia. First it was Kincade, the 6-6 forward who came off the bench to score 18 points against Idaho State. He would score 10 points in a 14-point run that erased a 9-0 deficit and turned it into a 14-9 lead. They never looked back to win, 67-56. Kincade has continued to improve, becoming a consistent starter for the Lions (the last nine games). He scored a game-high 14 points against Occidental and is third on the team in scoring with 9.7 points per game and fourth in rebounds with 4.0 per game. Dennis has hit his stride in the Lions last eight games as well coming off the bench to score 18 against Sacramento State and 17 against UC Santa Barbara. He added nine against UNLV, Long Beach State and USC, showing deadly touch from outside. He is 20-for-42 from the three-point this season (47.6 percent), which is tops in the West Coast Conference. From the field he is 43.5 percent (27-for-62) and 81.8 percent from the free throw line (27-for-33).

SENIOR CAPTAIN
Senior Eurskine Robinson continues to show why he is the captain of the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team this season. Robinson helped the Lions to a three-game win streak for the first time since 1998-99 and their best start since 1995-96. During the win streak, which included wins over UC Santa Barbara and Sacramento State, he would have his best pair of games as a Lion. Against the Gauchos, who have been picked by many to win the Big West Conference title, Robinson had a career-high game, scoring a career best 18 points, grabbing eight rebounds, one shy of a career-high, and dishing out four assists to just one turnover in 28 minutes. In the win he was deadly from the charity stripe, hitting all 12 attempts. When the Gauchos cut the Lions' lead to just four points with 43 seconds remaining, Robinson would hit four consecutive free throws in a 13 second span to put the Lions up eight to seal the win. Against Sacramento State, he would lead the Lions to their most lopsided win over a NCAA Division I opponent at home since a 23-point win over San Diego on Jan. 30, 1998. Robinson would finish perfect from the field and again perfect from the free throw line to finish with eight points. Again showing his efficiency running the offense, he would finish with six assists, equaling a career-high, a steal (his ninth on the season to lead the team) and just one turnover. For the week, he was a perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line, improving him to 30-for-30 on the season and setting the LMU all-time school record for consecutive free throws with 35, which started against Portland on Feb. 17, 2001. He broke Terrell Lowery's record of 32 set in 1990. He was 80 percent from the field, had 10 assists to just a pair of turnovers, a steal, and averaged 13 points and four rebounds in two wins. Robinson would extend his free-throw streak to 36 against UNLV before missing on his second attempt. He finished 2-for-3 against the Runnin' Rebels. On the season he is 94.3 percent from the free throw line, best in the WCC and seventh in the nation. He is also second in the conference in assist to turnover ratio and leads the Lions with 3.4 assists per game. He had a career-high seven assists in the 26-point win against Occidental, giving him 48 on the season (3.7 per game).

REBOUNDING
The Lions have once again made their mark on the glass this 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 have out-rebounded seven of their opponents this season, including a 40-28 advantage over Occidental. Senior Sean Mollins for the second straight game was a rebound shy of a career-high with seven against Occidental. In the 95-77 win over Sacramento State, senior Robert Davis had a career-high 14 rebounds. Osborn, who had a career high 12 against Mississippi Valley State, leads the team with 5.8 bounds per game (eighth in the conference), followed by senior Greg Lakey with 5.4 (10th in the conference), senior Sean Mollins with 4.5 and sophomore Keith Kincade with 3.8.

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 of 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.

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." John 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. Brandon 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, Wes 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.

GAME #12 - Montana 82, LMU 67
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end as they fell to the University of Montana 82-67 on Saturday afternoon at the Adams Center. After taking a 13-9 lead on senior Robert Davis' three-pointer with 14:35 remaining in the first half, the Lions (6-6) would go as cold as the 20-degree Montana air. LMU would finish the game shooting 39.7 percent from the field, but were 32 percent in the first half. Montana would finish hitting 50 percent from the field as they would go on a 12-point run to take the lead for good at 19-13. The Grizzlies (6-7), led by the double-double of senior Dan Trammel, would extend the lead to 40-27 at the half and would never look back. Trammel earned a double-double by halftime and finished with 18 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Trammel seemed to outrebound the Lions, who struggled throughout the game, with every shot, grabbing 10 in the first half alone. "I have no explanation for our performance tonight. There were imposters in our uniforms," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "We have played and competed against one of the better schedules in the country. Tonight we came in here and did not play. Montana had a lot to do with that." The Lions would come out in the second half and cut the lead to eight-points, 42-34, with 18:28 remaining on a pair of free throws by Keith Kincade. However, the Lions would not respond as the Grizzlies would build their lead to as much as 25 down the stretch. "We relied on the perimeter shot way too much," said Aggers, whose team finished 6-for-19 from the three-point line. "I am embarrassed with the lack of effort tonight. We got behind and we did not respond. I take full blame for the lack of disciple our team showed. It won't happen again." Freshman Andy Osborn and Kincade each finished with 12 points, as the Lions for the second straight game failed to have three or more players in double-digit scoring after starting the season with three or more in the first 10 games. Osborn added seven rebounds as the Lions were out-boarded 34-33. The Lions had won two straight on the road (Texas A&M and Long Beach State) coming into the game against the Grizzlies, only second time in three years the Lions had put back-to-back road wins together.

GAME #13 - LMU 81, Occidental 55
Looking to make a statement in the final stretch of non-conference games, the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) men's basketball took care of business with a 81-55 win over previously undefeated Occidental College Wednesday night at Gersten Pavilion. Leading by 12 at the half (40-28), the Lions (7-6) picked up their defensive intensity and pressed the Tigers (8-1) into 11 second half turnovers to pull away down the stretch. The Lions created 13 steals, setting up unselfish play on the offensive court. Every Lion scored in the game with sophomores Sherman Gay and Keith Kincade leading the team with 14 each. "We did what we were supposed to do tonight. Occidental is a well coached team and coming in undefeated we knew it was going to be a challenge," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "We picked up our defensive intensity tonight. Thus, we were able to play everyone and get them quality minutes, which is important as we approach conference play." Benefiting from the increased minutes was junior Miroslav Neskovic, who played the best game of his young career at LMU after transferring from Casper Junior College in Wyoming. The native of Uzice, Yugoslavia scored a career high six points, four rebounds and three assists in front of his parents who traveled from Italy to see him play. "I was really proud of how unselfish our team played tonight," said Aggers. "Robert (Davis) and Eurskine (Robinson) showed great senior leadership tonight in running our team. Many times when teams get the big lead they try to create opportunities for themselves. We did not do that. They were aware that Miroslav's parents were here and tried to get him more involved with the offensive." The unselfish play equated to a career-high seven assists for Robinson with no turnovers. Freshman Charles Brown, Robinson's backup at point guard, added five assists and just one turnover. As a team the Lions finished with 20 assists and dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Tigers 40-28. Senior Sean Mollins led the team with seven. The Lions finished 52.3 percent from the field, hitting on 34-of-65 shots. Brown had nine points to go with his assists, and was joined by senior Greg Lakey and sophomore Kent Dennis with eight. The Tigers were led by Song Chun with 16, while their leading scorer Finn Rebassoo, who averages more than 16 points per game, finished with just five.