Feb. 3, 2005
Box Score
San Diego, CA (Feb. 3) - Loyola Marymount could not overcome a second half push by San Diego as the Lions fall in West Coast Conference action, 77-70, on Thursday night in San Diego. The Toreros, who shot better than 59 percent in the second frame, used a 9-0 run to start the second half and out rebounded the Lions 40-23 for the difference.
The Lions were led by Matthew Knight with 25 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Brandon Worthy added 19 on 8-for-9 shooting. Wes Wardrop had 10 for the Lions. The frontcourt of the Toreros hurt the Lions, as Brandon Gay led all scorers with 22. Fellow frontcourt mates Brice Vounang and Nick Lewis added 18 and 16 respectively.
"We just didn't rebound the ball tonight," said Head Coach Steve Aggers. "Their front line played very physical and we didn't match their level of intensity in the paint tonight."
The Lions started the game slow, trailing by as many as 12 in the first half by came back to lead at the break, 34-32.
"I was disappointed with our start to the game tonight," said Aggers. "We came off an emotional win and came out flat. We played harder and took a two-point lead. But the 10 minute mark they went on that run and we couldn't catch them."
USD used their hot shooting to go up eight, 55-47, midway through the second half. The Lions would not go away, going on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to three, 55-52. The Lions started the run on five straight points from Worthy, a seven-footer at the 9:14 mark and then a three-pointer from the corner with 6:58 remaining. Wardrop capped the run with 6:00 remaining.
The teams would trade field goals as USD would go back up 60-54 with 4:51 remaining. Worthy would hit his second three-pointer with 4:32 remaining to make it 60-57. However, Vounang capitalized on a three-point play to put the lead back to six.
Knight would cut it to 64-60 with 3:28 on a three-point play of his own. The Toreros would go back up 67-60 before Wardrop hit a three-pointer with 1:57 remaining to put the lead back to four, 67-63.
After Vounang put the Toreros back up six, 69-63, Knight hit a pair of free throws with 1:17 remaining to make it 69-65. After an intentional foul on the Lions, USD scored four straight at the foul from Gay to make it 73-65 and put the game out of reach.
The Lions fall to 10-11 overall and 2-6 in the WCC while USD improves to 11-10 and 3-5. LMU will continue its road swing at San Francisco on Saturday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
