Dec. 18, 2003
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BRIEFLY
Thanks to its thrilling 84-82 double overtime win over Denver on Dec. 16, the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team continues its best start in eight years with a 6-2 record. They will put that to the test when the ACC's Virginia comes to Gersten Pavilion undefeated (6-0) on Friday, Dec. 19. The game can be heard live on the Lions' Audio Network at KXLU 88.9 FM or at www.LMULions.com.
TOUGH STRETCH
The game against Virginia will be the Lions' third game in six days with the first two going into overtime. The overtime games come in the middle of a tough four-game stretch for LMU, who will conclude the four-game stint against undefeated Virginia. The Lions' four opponents of UNLV, UCLA, Denver and Virginia had a combined record of 15-4 when LMU started the stretch against UNLV on Dec. 6. The teams currently are a combined 18-7. In addition to that stretch, LMU completed it first two-game road trip with the win over Denver and will have a brief break from its travels against Virginia. The Lions will head back to the road for another pair of games at Long Beach State (Dec. 23) and Cal State Fullerton (Dec. 30) to complete its toughest non-conference road stint of the season which will be four of five games on the road. The Lions are 2-1 on the road this season, its only loss in overtime to UCLA.
VIRGINIA
This will be the first-ever meeting between LMU and the University of Virginia from the Atlantic Coast Conference. This will be the fourth game of the season against a first-time opponent. As one of the nation's premeier basketball conferences, the ACC has started the 2003-04 season on fire. Five of the eight teams in the conference were undefeated as of Dec. 17 as the conference has a 55-7 mark, including Virginia's 6-0 start. This will be the fifth all-time meeting for the Lions against a school from the ACC. LMU has a 2-2 record in the previous four meetings, taking two of three from North Carolina State and losing to Georgia Tech. Only the 1966 win over North Carolina State was in Alumni Gym at LMU as this will be the first ACC opponent to play in Gersten Pavilion.
GIVE ME 20
For the first time in the four years under Head Coach Steve Aggers, the Lions had two players score 20 or more points in a single game in the win over Denver. Senior Sherman Gay set a career-high with 26 points and junior Charles Brown had a season-high with 21. Players have scored 20 or more points six times in the Lions' eight games this season, the most in any one season since the 1998-99 campaign. In addition, the Lions have had two players post back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in five seasons. Gay, the native of Carson, Calif., had 24 points in the win over Cal Poly and then followed that with 21 points against UNLV. Fellow senior Keith Kincade also posted back-to-back 20-point games with 21 against Cal State Northridge and 22 against SUNY-Binghamton.
FAB FIVE
The Lions started the season 5-0 for the first time since 1952-53 when they defeated San Diego State, Hawaii, Arizona State, Northern Arizona and Centenary. This year LMU defeated UC Riverside, CS Northridge, Binghamton, CCSU and Cal Poly. The five straight to start the year is also the first five-game winning streak since the 1995-96 season when they posted a six-game streak to start the season 8-1. In the 1952-53 season, the Lions started 6-0 for the best start in school history.
ON THE DEFENSIVE
The Lions are off to their best start in eight seasons thanks to its defense. LMU is among the conference leaders in most defensive categories this season. The Lions have held opponents to 39.6 percent (3rd in WCC) from the field and just 26.1 percent from the three-point line (1st). They are allowing just 66.5 points per game (4th), forcing 17.6 turnovers (2nd), while earning 7.0 steals (3rd) and 3.9 blocks per game (3rd). They have held seven of their eight opponents under 42 percent shooting for the game and three under 40 percent (SUNY - 39.2; CCSU - 32.8; UCLA - 31.7). They have kept three teams under 20 percent from the three-point (UCR - 15.4; CP - 15.4; UCLA - 15.0) while holding teams to less than half of their average made three-pointers per game, including holding Denver to four, half of their average of eight heading into the game. They had 11 blocks in the win over SUNY-Binghamton and had more than 10 steals three times (CSUN - 14; CCSU - 13; Denver - 11). Finally, they have forced three teams into 20 or more turnovers in games this season (CSUN - 22; UCLA - 21; SUNY - 20). Charles Brown ranks third in the WCC in steals with 14 and Damian Martin eighth with 11.
UNDER 60
In Aggers' first season in 2000-01 the Lions held Loyola of Chicago to 53 points in a 10-point win on Dec. 21, 2000. They equaled that low in the first win of the 2003-04 season against UC Riverside. That first season saw the Lions hold opponents under 60 points five times, equaling the most by an LMU team in the last 30 years. Surprisingly, the other team to do it was coached by Paul Westhead, which came in his first season in 1985-86. Thanks to a 58-57 win over Central Connecticut State, the Lions have now held opponents to under 60 points three of the first eight games in 2003 (53 - UCR, 56 - SUNY, 57 - CCSU). Under Aggers, the Lions are 10-1 in games holding opponents under 60 points.
IN THE CLUTCH
Senior Sherman Gay has been making them count in his fourth and final season at LMU. The first recruit under Head Coach Steve Aggers, Gay has become the senior leader on the floor for the Lions. This season Gay has made a pair of clutch shots to help his team to its best start in eight seasons. Gay, who leads the team with 15.9 points per game and is second with 5.9 rebounds per contest, hit the game winner as time expired in the Lions' 58-57 win over Central Connecticut State and he then hit an identical shot as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime in the eventual win over Denver. Both shots came on offensive putbacks to lead LMU from behind in both games, including a seven-point deficit with less than three minutes against CCSU and a 12-point margin with eight minutes left against DU. He has scored more than 20 points three times this season, including his career-best 26 against DU. Gay went 11-for-14 from the field with nine rebounds in the double OT win. He also leads the team in minutes with 32.1 per game and is second in blocks with 10. Gay is ranked sixth in the WCC in scoring, fourth in shooting percentage (53.1 percent), and third in offensive rebounds.
BLOCK PARTY
More from Gay... He had the best season of his career in 2002-03, setting the all-time single season record for blocks with 60. He snapped the record of 55 held by Richard Patruska and Silvester Kainga. With his record-setting season last year, he is one block away from having the all-time record at LMU to himself. He has started the season with 10 blocks, giving him 97 for his career and tying Chris Knight for the all-time mark. After leading the WCC in blocks a year ago, Gay is fourth with 1.25 per game while teammate Chris Ayer is second with 1.5 per game, including three against UCLA.
WORKING OVERTIME
The Lions 84-82 double overtime win over the Pioneers was the first overtime victory since an 81-79 win over Pepperdine in Malibu on Jan. 21, 1998. It was also LMU's first win in four tries under Head Coach Steve Aggers. It was the first double overtime game for LMU since a 97-94 win over Portland at Gersten Pavilion on Feb. 10, 1995. Overall LMU is 23-36 in overtime games with the first overtime game coming in the 1926-27 season against California Christian College, a 16-14 win for the Lions. The win over DU was the second consecutive overtime game for the Lions, the first-time that has happened since 1994-95. It is only the fourth time in the program's history LMU has played in back-to-back OTs (2003-04, 1994-95, 1991-92, 1980-81).
SUCCESS IN DOUBLE OT
More on the double overtime for the Lions: LMU has played in double overtime seven times in its history, going 6-1 in those games. The longest game in LMU history was a five-overtime affair against Fresno State in 1957. The Lions lost 92-90.
THRILLER VICTORY
For the second straight game the Lions fought from a 12-point deficit late in the second half to steal an 84-82 double overtime victory against Denver University in Denver on Tuesday night. The Lions trailed 58-46 with 8:55 remaining before they went on a 15-1 run to take the lead and eventually send the game into overtime. Both teams would score eight points in the first overtime before junior Charles Brown hit two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give LMU an 84-80 lead that would hold. "This was a gutsy performance for our team tonight," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "This was a great win for our program and I am very proud of our team." Senior Sherman Gay led all scorers with 26 points as his offensive tip-in as time expired in regulation sent the game into overtime. He added nine rebounds before fouling out in the first overtime. He also added two blocks on the night to tie Chris Knight's all-time career block record at 97. Brown added 21 points and sophomore Wes Wardrop added 13. LMU improves to 6-2 on the season and Denver falls to 4-4. The Lions once again had three players foul out of the game, as their entire front line was depleted due to fouls. Gay, senior Jason Dickens and sophomore Chris Ayer fouled out. The Pioneers took the lead first in the second overtime on a free throw by Brett Starkey. Starkey led the Pioneers with 25 points. Kincade, who finished with seven points and a career-tying 11 rebounds, tied the game at 76 with a free throw with 3:57 remaining. Starkey would once give the Pioneers the lead as he hit Denver's final field goal of the game at 3:19 remaining, 78-76. Kincade would tie the game with a jumper with 2:25 left and sophomore Dustin Brown would give LMU the lead for good with his only field goal of the game with 1:30 remaining, 80-78. Brown would hit 4-of-6 free throws in the final stretch for the win.
HEARTBREAKER
After fighting back from 14 points down late in the second half, Loyola Marymount University would force overtime before UCLA's Cedric Bozeman hit a three-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining and the shot clock at zero to lift UCLA to a 69-66 win at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night. Junior Charles Brown would complete a Lions comeback by hitting a three-pointer to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining at 60-60 to force overtime. Brown finished with a game-high 17 points to lead the Lions. LMU would erase a 14-point deficit in the final 5:29 to send the game to an extra frame. The Lions went on a 23-5 run that spanned the final two minutes of regulation and the first two minutes of overtime to take a four-point lead in OT, its first of the game. However, the Bruins would close the game on a 9-2 run to pull-out the win. Damian Martin finished the game with a career-high 13 points and Sherman Gay added 13 points. Bozeman finished with 16 to lead the Bruins.
HEATING UP
Junior Charles Brown has heated up in the last two games for the Lions. Last year's team MVP, who led the team in scoring, assists and steals, scored 17 points against UCLA and 21 at Denver. Brown, who played 32 minutes off the bench Tuesday, is second on the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game, ranking 17th in the WCC. Brown's 27 assists and 14 steals lead the Lions, ranking him 9th and 3rd, respectively in the WCC.
TOURNEY CROWN
The 58-57 dramatic victory over Central Connecticut State in the title game of the Mohegan Sun Classic on Nov. 30, was the first tournament win for the Lions since winning the Nike Festival in December of the 1995-96 season. The Lions defeated host Hawaii and Nevada to start the season 8-1. Senior Sherman Gay hit a tip-in lay-up with 27 seconds remaining to lift the Lions over CCSU. Sophomore Dustin Brown, who played prep basketball at St. Thomas Moore in Connecticut, had a career-afternoon, scoring 19 points with eight rebounds off the bench. Brown was named tournament MVP. LMU defeated Binghamton University, 67-56, in the first day of the Mohegan Sun Classic to advance to the title game. Senior Keith Kincade led the Lions with 22 points, going 3-for-5 from the three-point line, all in the first half. He and Charles Brown were named to the all-tournament team with Dustin Brown.
FIRST TIMERS
The win over Denver and Friday's game against Virginia will be the first-ever meeting for LMU against the two teams. On the season the Lions will end up playing six teams for the first time. After Virginia, the Lions will play Colgate and Northern Colorado for the first time. The first two of the season came in the Mohegan Sun Classic as the Lions won both meetings, defeating Binghamton (67-56) and Central Connecticut State (58-57). In the four-year tenure of Head Coach Steve Aggers, the Lions have played an opponent for the first time eight times heading into the Virginia game. The Lions are 6-2 in those games, defeating South Carolina State and falling to Villanova a year ago while defeating Mississippi Valley State and falling to Samford in the 2001-02 season. In Aggers' first season the Lions defeated Vanguard.
MAKING NOTE
Although it is early in the season, the Lions are making their mark among rankings and the RPI. After the win over Cal Poly, the Lions moved to an RPI ranking of 31, its highest since the late-1980s. They currently ranked 80th (Dec. 15). In addition, the Lions are gathering votes in both the CollegeInsider.com and ESPN Mid-Major top-25.
DEBUT
Freshmen Damian Martin and Matthew Knight and redshirt freshmen Antti Kasko and John Montgomery made their collegiate debuts in 2003-04 season. Martin started his career with 23 minutes against UC Riverside and earned his first start in the win over Cal Poly. In seven games he has averaged 5.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 steals. He is ranked sixth in the WCC in steals and 15th in assists and set a career-high with 13 points against UCLA. Kasko made his first appearance against Northridge and was solid in 15 minutes of play. He has played in five games, averaging two points and two rebounds per game. Montgomery gave the Lions a huge lift off the bench in the wins over Binghamton and CCSU, earning an assist and a defensive rebound against the Bearcats and hitting a crucial three-pointer with an assist, a steal and a rebound over CCSU. Knight waited seven games to get his career started as he was finally cleared to play after bone spur surgery over the summer. Knight made his debut against UCLA, gathering three rebounds in six minutes of play. He played eight minutes against Denver with a rebound and an assist.
FOR OPENERS
LMU improved to its record in home-openers to 4-0 in the tenure of fourth-year Head Coach Steve Aggers. The Lions improved to 3-1 in season openers under Aggers. All-time, LMU is 32-17 in season openers since it joined the West Coast Conference in 1955-56. Last year's win over Loyola Chicago was the Lions first season opening win against an NCAA Division I opponent since they defeated Morgan State 140-110 in the Los Angeles Classic on Nov. 22, 1991. With this year's win, it is the first time in program history the Lions have start consecutive seasons with wins over Division I opponents.
ON THE GLASS
This season leading the way for the Lions is sophomore Chris Ayer. He started the season with a career-high 12 rebounds against UCR and five more against CSUN. After eight games, Ayer is fourth in the West Coast Conference with 6.8 rebounds per game, getting eight in the win over Cal Poly. Ayer is also second in the WCC in blocks with 1.5 per game. Sherman Gay is second on the team in rebounds with 5.9, ranking him 11th in the WCC. Third on the team is freshman Damian Martin with 4.0 per game. Ayer has done it on the defensive rebounds, ranking first in the WCC while Gay is third in offensive rebounds in the conference.
GERSTEN PAVILION
The Lions' home opener on Nov. 21 against UC Riverside began the 24th 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. The Lions finished 7-6 in 2002-03 in Gersten, giving them an overall record of 162-134 (.547) in the facility. With another 3-0 start in 2003, the Lions are now 165-135 all-time in Gersten.
THE WCC
The West Coast Conference was ranked No. 10 in the College Basketball News RPI rating to end the 2002-03 season. It is the conference's highest ranking ever. The WCC finished ranked 15th in last year's RPI. The top 10:
1. SEC (12 teams)
2. Big 12 (12)
3. ACC (9)
4. Big Ten (11)
5. Big East (14)
6. Mountain West (8)
7. Pacific 10 (10)
8. Conference USA (14)
9. Atlantic 10 (12)
10. WCC (8)
- GO LIONS -
