Dec. 11, 2009

Game Notes in Printable in PDF Format

Interactive Game Notes with Audio:

If the non-conference schedule is meant to prepare teams for the rigors of conference play, then after the next 72 hours stretch for the LMU men's basketball team, consider them experts. Just seven hours after a grueling setback to Montana at Gersten Pavilion, the Lions found themselves headed to the Eastern Time zone to face Notre Dame on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:00 p.m ET/4:00 p.m. PT. The Lions will turn around and head home the next morning where they will face finals week. The game can be heard on KXLU 88.9 FM.

The Lions, who do not feature a senior on the roster and who are starting four sophomores and a junior, have already equaled their win total from the injury plague 2008-09 season and are 3-7 after falling to Montana, 82-73, Thursday night at Gersten Pavilion. Five of the Lions' seven setbacks have come by six points or less, and combined are at an average of just over four points. In all five of those games, the Lions were tied or held a lead with under three minutes to play.

Sophomore Drew Viney, who sat last year after transferring from Oregon, has scored double figures in nine of the Lions' 10 games and had his first career double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds against Montana. He leads the team with 17.8 points per game, which is sixth in the WCC (as of Dec. 7). He has been doing it from long range, hitting 24-for-48 from the three-point line, good for 50 percent. His three-point shooting percentage ranked 15th nationally and leads the WCC (based on 2.5 made per game, min and as Nov. 30). He also leads the Lions in rebounds, averaging 6.5 per contest (11th in the WCC).

Junior Larry Davis did not play the last five games due to swelling in his Achilles Heal and is not expected to play Saturday. He is second on the team with 13.2 points. Davis served his redshirt season after transferring from Seton Hall last year.

Vernon Teel, who led the team last year in scoring, is averaging 12.1 points per game this season. Teel has been the spark plug for the Lions, ranking 16th in the nation (as of Nov. 30) and second in the WCC (as of Dec. 7) in assists at 6.20 per contest. He is also ranked sixth in the WCC in steals (1.80). Sophomore Kevin Young had his fifth double-double of his career with 16 points and 12 rebounds against Wyoming and is now averaging 10.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.