Dec. 23, 2003
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BRIEFLY
It is back to the road for the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team (6-3) as they head to take on Long Beach State (1-5) in their third road game in the last four contests on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 7:35 p.m. The Lions will then have a seven-day break before traveling to Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 30.
WHAT A STRETCH
The Lions game against Virginia ended a tough stretch in non-conference play, its toughest since 1998-99. The Lions last six opponents average RPI ranking was 90, including three of its last four games coming against teams with RPIs better than 53 (Virginia - 32, UNLV - 50, UCLA -52). The Lions went 3-3 as the opponents in this stretch have a combined record of 27-14 (as of Dec. 22). It is the toughest stretch since the Lions had a six-game stretch that included San Diego State, at USC, at Utah, at Xavier and at UCLA in the 1998-99 season as they went 2-4. It won't get much easier as the Lions continue a four-game road stint over the course of five games.
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 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 four times this season, including his career-best 26 against DU and then 21 against Virginia. Last week, Gay averaged 23.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game to earn WCC Player of the Week honors. He averaged 36.5 minutes per game in the two games on the week, shooting 61.3 percent (19-for-31) from the field, hitting 75 percent (9-for-12) from the free throw line, five blocks and two assists. In the win over Denver, Gay went 11-for-14 from the field. He added nine rebounds, an assist and two blocks. He was at it again against Virginia, going 8-for-17 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line to score 21 points. He added seven rebounds and three blocks. In the last four games Gay has raised his scoring average nearly five points to 16.4 per game, ranking him third in the WCC. His 6.0 rebounds per game also ranks him eighth in the conference with two other players. His effort from the field this past week gives him a field goal percentage of 52.2 percent, second in the WCC. Gay is also among the conference leaders in blocks once again this season after leading the WCC last season. He is second in the conference this year with 1.44 blocks per game.
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 seven times in the Lions' nine 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., has done it twice, scoring 24 points in the win over Cal Poly and then followed that with 21 points against UNLV. He then had 26 against DU and then 21 against Virginia. 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 40.2 percent (3rd in WCC) from the field and just 26.9 percent from the three-point line (2nd). They are allowing just 67.6 points per game (4th), forcing 17.1 turnovers (2nd), while earning 6.6 steals (4th) and 4.1 blocks per game (2nd). They have held seven of their nine 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 fifth in the WCC in steals with 14 and Damian Martin eighth with 13.
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.
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 was able to shatter the all-time career record for blocks. He had three blocks against Virginia to give him 100 in his career and break the blocks record held by Chris Knight with 97. After leading the WCC in blocks a year ago, Gay is second with 1.4 per game while teammate Chris Ayer is fourth with 1.3 per game.
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.
LAST TIME OUT
In a game that featured six ties and 12 lead changes, the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team could not hang-on to its first half lead as they fall to unbeaten Virginia, 76-68, in a non-conference showdown at Gersten Pavilion on Friday night. Senior Sherman Gay led the Lions (6-3) with 21 points with seven rebounds and three blocks. Derrick Byars and Elton Brown also scored 21 for the Cavaliers (7-0). After Virginia scored the games first nine points to take a 9-0 lead, the Lions went on a 17-7 run to take a 17-16 lead on a lay-up by sophomore Chris Ayer. It was the first time all season the Cavaliers have trailed. The Cavaliers would take a 29-27 lead on a Devin Smith lay-up with 4:17 in the half. LMU then went on a 12-1 run to take a nine-point edge, 39-30 on a lay-up by Gay. Virginia would score the final five points of the half to build the momentum for the second 20 minutes. As they did at the start of the game, Virginia scored the second half's first six points, capped by a dunk from Smith to take a 41-39 lead. The lead would change hands six more times in the second as senior Keith Kincade hit a three-pointer with 11:52 remaining to give LMU a 51-50 lead. Kincade finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Virginia would answer on a lay-up by Byars to take the lead for good. With the one-point lead, Virginia would complete a 18-3 run over a span of five minutes to pull away in the tight contest, taking a 67-54 lead with 6:33 remaining. Kincade would snap the run on a jumper. The Lions, who erased double-digit deficits in the last two games, could not recover this time. Sophomore John Haywood's three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining cut the lead to 75-68 to cut the lead to seven. Haywood finished with nine points.
THE THRILL OF 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. 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. 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. Brown added 21 points and sophomore Wes Wardrop added 13. 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 give the Pioneers their final lead 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.
HEATING UP
Junior Charles Brown and senior Keith Kincade have started the 2003-04 season on a scoring note. In his final season, Kincade has shown the result of hard work over the summer on his shooting touch. He is second on the team with 10.9 points per game (17th in WCC), leading the team with eight three-pointers. He is also 26-for-31 from the free throw line (3rd in WCC). In addition, Kincade has added a pair of 20-point games this season (21 vs. CSUN; 22 vs. SUNY). Brown has finally showed the scoring touch that earned him MVP honors a year ago. Brown scored 17 points against UCLA and 21 at Denver. Brown, who played 32 minutes off the bench Tuesday, is third on the team in scoring with 10.9 points per game (20th in WCC). Brown's 29 assists and 14 steals lead the Lions, ranking him 9th and 5th, respectively in the WCC. Sophomore Wes Wardrop also has 29 assists.
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
On the season the Lions will end up playing six teams for the first time in program history. After Virginia, the Lions will play Colgate and Northern Colorado for the first time. The first four of the season came in wins over Binghamton (67-56), Central Connecticut State (58-57) and Denver (84-82) and a defeat to Virginia (76-68). In the four-year tenure of Head Coach Steve Aggers, the Lions have played an opponent for the first time nine times. The Lions are 6-3 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.
RANK AND FILE
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 rank 68th (Dec. 22). In addition, the Lions are gathering votes in the CollegeInsider.com 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 eight games he has averaged 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals. He is ranked eighth in the WCC in steals 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 nine games, Ayer is fifth in the West Coast Conference with 6.7 rebounds per game, getting eight in the win over Cal Poly. Ayer is also fourth in the WCC in blocks with 1.3 per game. Sherman Gay is second on the team in rebounds with 6.0, ranking him eighth in the WCC. Third on the team is senior Keith Kincade, who has led the team in the last two games with 11 boards against Denver and eight against Virginia. He has 4.0 per game while freshman Damian Martin is fifth with 3.8 per game. Ayer has done it on the defensive rebounds, ranking second in the WCC while Gay is first in offensive rebounds in the conference.
YOUTH IS SERVED
With seven freshmen on the 2002-03 roster, the Lions featured one of its most talented freshman recruiting classes in program history. The Lions had just 11 years of NCAA Division I experience on last year's 15-man roster. Youth has served the Lions well. The 2003-04 season marks the fourth recruiting class of Aggers, who took over the program in April of 2000. The Lions only recruit in his first season, senior Sherman Gay, set the school record for blocks in a season with 60 while leading the West Coast Conference last season. All told, the eight freshman brought in by Aggers and his staff have set 13 LMU freshman records and have taken home four WCC Player of the Week honors in the last two seasons. Three new freshman join LMU this 2003-04 season, including Damian Martin, Matthew Knight and Jon Ziri, who will redshirt with transfer Daryl Pegram. Entering their first season of play after redshirt seasons are freshman John Montgomery and Antti Kasko.
- GO LIONS -
