Feb. 10, 2005
Box Score
Los Angeles, CA (Feb. 10) - Despite shooting just 29 percent for the game, Loyola Marymount managed to erase a 14-point deficit and tie the game. However, they could not recover from a first half deficit in which they scored just 19 points on 22 percent shooting to fall to the University of Portland 54-50 at Gersten Pavilion on Thursday night.
The Lions finished the first half shooting just 5-for-22 from the field while Portland went 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) to take a 30-19 lead at the break. The Lions finished the game hitting just 16-of-55 shots, going 1-for-16 from the three-point line. Portland finished hitting 21-for-41 (51.2 percent).
Portland improves to 15-10 overall and 4-6 in the West Coast Conference. LMU falls to 11-12 overall and 3-7 in the WCC.
"This is the story of our season," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "We play one good game and then one bad game. We are an extremely inconsistent team."
Portland used the first half push to jump out to a lead as large as 14, 46-32, with 9:19 remaining. However, the Lions defense stiffened and helped the Lions make a late charge. Despite the poor shooting, junior Dustin Brown came off the bench in the second half to lead the rally.
LMU went on a 16-2 run to tie the game at 48-48 with 2:51 remaining. The rally began with four straight points from Brown, hitting a jumper and then a lay-up off a steal. After a lay-up by Andreas Gahlmann, the Lions scored the next 10 points. Down 48-41, Brown grabbed another steal and hit a lay-up off a Matthew Knight miss. Brown was fouled and Gahlmann was called for a technical. The Lions hit two of three free throws to make it 48-45.
Brown and Knight each hit a free throw and Knight scored on a lay-up to tie the game. Portland would answer and score the next four points, getting lay-up by Marcus Lewis and two free throws from Pooh Jeter with 1:12 remaining to put the game away.
Brandon Worthy hit a jumper with 36 seconds remaining to cut the lead to a pair, 52-50, but the Lions would get no closer.
Worthy led the Lions with 11 and Brown added 10, all in the second half. Brown also had three steals in the key run. Ben Sullivan had 12 to lead Portland and Marcus Lewis added 11.
LMU will take on Gonzaga at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12.
- GO LIONS -
