Jan. 3, 2009

Box Score

Bakersfield, CA - LMU celebrated the New Year with a come-from-behind 73-70 victory in its final non-conference tuneup at Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday afternoon at the Icardo Center in Bakersfield, CA. The Lions (10-4) match the school record for non-conference victories while winning their second straight over the Roadrunners (8-7), who they had defeated in double-overtime last season.

Coming off three defeats in the last four games, Head Coach Julie Wilhoit changed the starting lineup for the first time this year, handing sophomore Jessica Vargas and freshman Alex Cowling their first starts of the season in place of sophomores Renahy Young and Aleyse Evans, LMU's leading scorer and rebounder, respectively.

"I was looking for a fire in Aleyse and Renahy," Wilhoit said. "Renahy had been playing frustrated in the last few games. The switch in lineups wasn't a punishment, just a chance for them to recapture their games. Both were excellent today."

Young and Evans each responded to their new roles coming off the bench. Young finished with a team-high 22 points on 8-for-13 shooting and added three steals while Evans registered her second double-double of the season with 10 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, and four blocks, tying her career-high, despite foul trouble. Cowling chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds and senior Cassady Moore had three steals to move into the LMU career top-10. Junior Lisa Helmers also had a solid game with eight points and a career-high eight rebounds.

LMU shot 38.5% (30-for-78) from the floor, 35.3% (6-for-17) from three-point range, and just 38.9% (7-for-18) from the free throw line but made up for it with 52 rebounds, including 23 on the offensive end. That translated into a 22-6 edge in second chance points as the Lions outrebounded the Roadrunners 52-48 and had a 43-9 scoring advantage off the bench, thanks to the play of Young and Evans.

After CSUB's Christine Kepenekian torched the Lions with 36 points and 14 rebounds in their last meeting, LMU's defense stifled her this time, holding her to six points on 3-for-12 shooting and seven turnovers. Kepenekian did pull down a team-high 11 rebounds. Katie Williams led the Roadrunners with 24 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and Krista Arase had 15 points on five three-pointers. CSUB shot 39.4% (26-for-66) from the floor and committed 21 turnovers.

The smaller lineup allowed to Lions to be quicker from the start but they missed three layups early and committed five turnovers in the first five minutes as the Roadrunners jumped out to an 18-4 lead. CSUB was hot, making seven of its first 11 shots from the floor and getting 10 points from Williams.

After shooting 18% in the first half of their last game against Delaware, it was more of the same for the Lions, who missed 11 of their first 13 shots Saturday. LMU got a boost off the bench from sophomore Kavita Goss, who hit a three and a jumper in the lane to get the Lions going. Evans then finished off a move in the lane to bring the Lions back to within 10, 24-14 with 8:43 remaining the first. That's when the Lion defense started to assert itself, holding CSUB without a basket for more than four minutes. The Lion offense also composed itself, turning the ball over once in the final 15 minutes and ending the half on a 21-9 run to go into the locker room leading 36-34. After trailing for much of the half, the comeback was complete a minute before halftime when Moore had a steal and coast-to-coast layup, followed by a three from Young on the wing to put LMU ahead 35-34.

The second half began much the same as the first as CSUB used three straight three-pointers to storm to an 18-6 run and reclaim its 10-point lead, 52-42. However, a jumper from Vargas, five straight points from Young, and a jumper from Cowling made it a one-point game with 11 minutes left. Over the next eight minutes, LMU remained within four until a Williams three-point play put Bakersfield ahead 67-62 with 3:25 remaining.

LMU responded with a 7-0 spurt as Young answered right back with a three-point play of her own and Evans grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in to tie the game at 67. On the next possession, Cowling got loose inside for a layup and was fouled, putting LMU ahead by two. Cowling missed the free throw and Williams came straight down with a jumper to re-tie it. However, Helmers knocked down a three from the wing, giving the Lions a three-point advantage.

After a double technical on Helmers and Allen, Young knocked down one free throw for a four-point Lion lead. LMU got a stop on the next possession but was called for a five-second inbounding violation, giving the ball back to CSUB. Allen was fouled, missing the first and making the second. LMU inbounded to its best free throw shooter in Young but she traveled trying to break the press and Bakersfield had one more chance with 8.8 seconds left. LMU called timeout to set up the defense and it worked, forcing Allen into a double dribble with four seconds remaining. Moore was fouled and missed both but Williams' shot from beyond halfcourt was well short, giving the Lions the win.

LMU opens West Coast Conference play next Saturday in a men's/women's doubleheader at Pepperdine. The women kick things off at 5 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.

- GO LIONS -