March 15, 2010

Postseason Game Notes in PDF Format

Interactive Game Notes with Audio

For the first time in the history of Gersten Pavilion, the LMU men's basketball program will host a postseason game when they take on Pacific, Wednesday, March 17 in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament at 7:35 p.m. All season the Lions have been celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 1989-90 team that captured the nation's attention with its tournament run, which is also the last time the Lions were in the postseason. LMU enters the game at 18-15 while the Tigers are 20-11. Both fell in their respective conference tournament semifinals. Listen to the game live on radio at KXLU 88.9 FM or online through Fox College Sports Broadband, the official online partner of the CIT.

INSIDE THE LIONS
The Lions, who do not feature a senior on the roster and are starting a freshman, three sophomores and a junior, and have a roster that is ranked 300 out of 343 NCAA Division-I teams in terms of experience, continue to be one of the top turnaround stories of 2009-10, reaching milestones as the season reaches its final weeks entering the game against Pacific at 18-15 overall and 7-7 in WCC play. The Lions enter the game winners of five out of their last seven and seven of their last 10. Here is what they have accomplished this season:
• Equalling the most wins (18) since the Elite Eight team of 1989-90, matching 1995-96 (18-11).
• First postseason bid since the 1989-90 season.
• Second best turn-around in school history with 15 more wins than a year ago. Second-best turn-around in the nation this season as of Mar. 15. (Coastal Carolina is +17). See note below.
• More than triple number of WCC wins (7) than a year ago.
• Longest win streak since the 1995-96 season (6 games).
• The most non-conference wins since that season (9).
• Defeated their first ranked opponent (#9 Gonzaga) since 1990, and first ranked-win at Gersten Pavilion.
• Defeated a top-10 team for the second time in school history (the last being in 1960).
• Posted a three-game road winning streak (at Notre Dame, at Sac. State, at CSUB) for the first time since they won their last road game of 1994-95 and first two road games of the 95-96 campaign. They hadn't won three straight road games in one season since 1991-92.
• Finished with a 9-5 record at home, the most since earning 9 wins in 1998-99 and 1994-95.
• Most road wins (6) since winning six in that 1995-96 season. The last time they had more than six was with 7 in 1990-91.
• Had three players earn postseason All-WCC honors, just the 10th time since 1956 three or more Lions have claimed WCC honors (Viney, Teel and Hamilton).

SEEING DOUBLES
All season the Lions have had balance with at least four players averaging double figures in scoring all season. On the season, Drew Viney (16.7), Vernon Teel (15.2), Jarred DuBois (12.4) and Kevin Young (10.7) enter the CIT averaging double figures. And it was been the same in the WCC tournament, as four players averaged double figures through the two games. Teel was stellar, putting in 19.7 per game, while Ashley Hamilton showed why he earned WCC All-Freshman honors by putting in 15.7 per game, including 23 against Pepperdine. Viney and DuBois scored 15.0 and 10.7, respectively, in the three games. On the season, six players have scored at least 22 points in a single game this season, the most among any team in the WCC. Larry Davis, who averages 8.9 points per game on the season, DuBois, Hamilton, Teel, Viney, and Young have all gone for 22 at one point this season. That is one more than Gonzaga, who has had five players go for at least 22 (Bouldin, Goodson, Gray, Harris, Sacre). And those six have been a key for the Lions. LMU is 8-1 when Viney, Young, Hamilton, DuBois, Teel, and Davis all play at least 16 minutes in a game and are 10-3 when they have been able to start the rotation of Teel, DuBois, Viney, Young and Hamilton with Davis coming off the bench.

WCC HONORS
For just the 10th time since LMU joined the West Coast Conference in 1955-56, the Lions have earned at least three postseason honors as voted on by the conference coaches, as the WCC announced that Drew Viney and Vernon Teel have earned first-team All-WCC honors while Ashley Hamilton has earned WCC All-Freshman honors. Viney and Teel become just the 11th LMU duo to take home first-team All-WCC honors, while Hamilton is the fourth Lion to earn freshman honors. Jarred DuBois was an WCC All-Freshman selection a year ago, while the Lions had a trio of players earn All-WCC first-team honors in 2005-06.

AT THE WCC TOURNEY
The Lions advanced to the semifinals for the first time since playing in the title game of the 2006 WCC Championship held in Spokane, Wash. The two wins in the tournament continues this seasons revival as it is the first time since 1996 the Lions defeated their rival twice in one season and the first time the Lions have defeated the Dons in the WCC tournament in five tries. Like they did to start the 2009-10 campaign, the Lions got their offense going with back-to-back 80-point games, scoring 87 and 84, respectively. It is the most points in back-to-back games in the WCC tournament since going for 110, 109 and 104 in winning the title in 1989. It was the 14th game this season with 80 or more points, more than double the last three seasons combined, and is the most points for the Lions in the WCC tournament since they upset No. 1 seed Santa Clara, 87-83, as the No. 8 seed in the 1995 tournament held at Santa Clara. The Lions have put up several numbers in two tournament games that rank in the top-five all-time for LMU in the WCC tournament:
• LMU won two games in the WCC tournament for the first time since winning it in 1989.
• Six team blocks against Pepperdine most in a single game (tied with games in 2004 and 2002)
• 10 turnovers was the third fewest (8 is the record)
• Against Pepperdine, the 27 free throws made is a record while the 36 free throws attempted ranked fourth in a WCC tournament game.
• 80.0 free throw percentage (20-for-25) against USF tied for fourth (vs. Santa Clara, Mar. 7, 1988)
• Ashley Hamilton's 13 free throws vs. Pep ranked second (Hank Gathers had 14 on Mar. 6, 1989 vs SCU)
• Ashley Hamilton's 15 FT attempts is tied for second with Gathers (3/5/88) and Sherman Gay (3/5/04)
• Drew Viney's three blocks vs. Pep tied for third with 5 players
• Jarred DuBois (vs. Pep) and Drew Viney (vs. Gon) had four steals in a single game, tying for 4th.
• Ashley Hamilton finished .857 (6-of-7) from the field against USF, ranking third for a single game.

OFFENSE FROM DEFENSE
In winning seven of their last 11, the Lions have used defense to power their offense. In defeating two of the top three teams in the WCC in last three weeks, they flustered high-powered offenses. Gonzaga entered the game averaging 78.6 points, 49.5 percent shooting from the field, 13.4 turnovers and a +.20 turnover margin. LMU held them to 66 points, 34.4 percent shooting (second lowest on the season), and went +1 in turnover margin. Portland entered the game averaging 73.1 points, 47.3 percent shooting from the field, 13.0 turnovers per game and a +.44 turnover margin. The Lions held them to 68 points, 36.7 percent shooting (second lowest on the season), forced them into 21 turnovers (second most on the season) and went +5.0 in turnover margin. Here is a look at LMU's defense:
• Record of 13-3 and 5-1 in the WCC when they outscore opponents in points of turnovers.
• Record of 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the WCC when holding opponents to less than 40 percent shooting.
• Record of 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the WCC when holding opponents under 70 points.
• In the second half of WCC play, LMU has outscored Portland (+8), Pepperdine (+18), Santa Clara (+10), and USF (+13) in points off turnovers. They also did that in all three WCC tourney games.
• Leads the league in steals with a 7.52 average, grabbing 248, including 13 against Portland.
• Second in the WCC in blocks with 4.24 per game, blocking 140 after just 55 a year ago.
• Second in the WCC in turnover margin at +0.55 and third in field goal percentage defense at 43.6.

TURNAROUND
Second-year Head Coach Max Good has helped lead the Lions on a resurgence this season. The Lions have 15 more wins than last season, making it the second best turnaround in school history. The Lions enter the game against Pacific with 18 wins, including victories at Notre Dame, at USC, nationally ranked Gonzaga, previously ranked Portland, Long Beach State and a surprisingly tough Seattle squad who features a projected NBA lottery pick. The best turnaround came in 1987-88, the first year Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble were eligible after transferring from USC. Paul Westhead and the Lions went 28-4 and 14-0 to win the WCC that season. It was a 16-win turnaround from the 12-16 season the year prior. The Lions also had 11 game turnarounds in 1937-38 (18-7 after 7-9 year prior) and 1959-60 (19-8 after 8-15 year prior).