Jan. 15, 2011

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - For the second straight year LMU headed to Spokane with a shortened bench and still managed to push Gonzaga with a first half tie. And for the second straight year, the Zags used an early second half push to pull away down the stretch for a 79-59 win at the McCarthy Center Saturday night.

Drew Viney led the Lions with 18 points, hitting 4-for-8 from the field, 2-for-2 from long range and 8-for-10 from the charity stripe. Freshman Anthony Ireland scored 10 points with 10 rebounds for his first double-double. Robert Sacre scored 18 points, Elias Harris had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Steven Gray finished with 16, scoring 13 of them to key the second half run.

The Lions changed the line-up for the seventh time on the season as Godwin Okonji did not play due to a hit in the nose he took against Portland, while Vernon Teel played but did not start.

"The margin of error with Gonzaga is so slim, you can't shoot 30 percent and expect to win," said Head Coach Max Good. "We did a real good job on their main guys in the first half, but their depth just made us work for the full 40 minutes, and guarding them is like walkin in a mine field. At some point they are going to hurt you."

Despite just 4-of-18 shooting in the first 16 minutes of the game, the Lions were down just six, 30-24. They then closed the half on a 9-3 run, hitting four field goals in the final three minutes to send the game into the break tied at 33.

LMU was the aggressor in the first half, going to the free throw line and keeping the game close for the late first half run by hitting 15 (83.3 percent). LMU finished the half hitting 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) while Gonzaga was 44 percent from the field (13-for-29) and just 5-for-11 from the charity stripe (45.5 percent).

"We did a good job of forcing the action in the first half. Despite just eight field goals, we did what you are supposed to do and got to the line," said Good.

The Bulldogs responded as the aggressor to start the second half as they outscored the Lions 19-7 to build a 12-point lad, 52-40, with 11:56 to play. Early half shooting woes hindered the Lions again as they opened the second half just 3-for-13 from the field while the Zags hit 8-for-12 in the 12-point swing.

LMU would stick around and cut the lead under double-digits multiple times but the Lions would go without a field goal for nearly eight minutes late in the second half as the Zags pulled away in the process.

Shooting hindered any comeback hopes for the Lions as they finished the game shooting just 27.3 percent. Meanwhile, the Zags hit 51.6 percent, hitting 58 percent in the second half.

The Lions out-rebounded a WCC opponent for the fourth straight game, holding a plus-one edge on the Zags, 40-39.

LMU will have a week off between games and will end the three-game road swing in WCC play with Pepperdine on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on KXLU 88.9 FM.