Dec. 26, 2011

The LMU men's basketball team will play will final holiday tune-up before the start of play in the new-look West Coast Conference. The Lions return home to face Vanguard on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 6 p.m. The game at Gersten Pavilion is part of the Lions' Holiday Thank You to fans and is FREE to all fans. No tickets, no RSVP, nothing is needed to come watch the Lions play this holiday season. Season ticket holders will be guaranteed their seat, and Sodexo is offering $1 hotdogs during the game. As always, the game will be broadcast on Lions' All-Access through LMULions.com and on KXLU 88.9 FM.

INSIDE THE LIONS
LMU finished non-conference play on the road with a 69-45 setback at Morgan State, Dec. 21. The game against Morgan State was the first-ever for the program in the state of Maryland. LMU sits at 6-6 on the season with the Free Game against Vanguard the final tune-up before the start of WCC play on Dec. 31 at San Francisco • The Lions finish 2-2 on the road, winning its first two road games of the season for the first time since 1995-96, after the 79-76 win over Idaho State on Nov. 26 and a 69-58 win over then No. 17 UCLA to start the year on Nov. 11 • Three Lions (active) are now averaging double figures on the season, including East Coast native (Waterbury CT), sophomore Anthony Ireland. He leads the Lions with 13.8 points per game, scoring a game-high 19 against Florida State to give him 500 already in his young career. He added a career-best 11 assists at Morgan State on Dec. 21. Junior Jarred DuBois is second on the squad at 10.5 points per game while LaRon Armstead is third at 10.0 points per contest, scoring double figures in six of the last eight games, including a career-best 22 points off the bench in the win over No. 23 Saint Louis. Freshman CJ Blackwell has moved his averages on the season to 8.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg. He has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, and led the Lions in scoring on Dec. 21 and had the first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Idaho State on Dec. 10 • The Lions started the season with a 69-58 win over No. 17 UCLA and with the win over the Billikens, they have now beaten a ranked-opponent in consecutive chances for the first time since the 1989-90 NCAA Tournament. The Lions have won three of their last four games against ranked opponents • The Lions are ranked fourth in the WCC in free throw percentage, hitting 70.9 percent as a squad through 12 games. The Lions' top-six scorers all hit better than 71 percent and senior LaRon Armstead ranks second in the league at 86.5 percent, hitting 32-of-37 on the season • The Lions enter Tuesday's game ranked second in the WCC with a +1.3 turnover margin. The Lions are third in the league by forcing 15.25 turnovers per game while sitting fourth in the league in committing just 13.9 turnovers per contest. They forced the Billikens into a season-high 15 turnovers for an 18-8 edge in points off turnovers. They outscored Columbia 28-8 in points off turnovers thanks to forcing a season-best 24 turnovers on a season-best 13 steals. They then forced 21 turnovers on 12 steals against La Sierra for a 26-12 edge in points off turnovers, and scored 23 points off turnovers in forcing Idaho State in into 18 on Dec. 10.

THE ROSTER
Junior Ashley Hamilton, who was the Lions' leading scorer after two games, played 16 minutes against Harvard, scoring eight points before he left with a injury to his right foot. He is out through the end of December... Two-time All-WCC selection and two-time leading scorer Drew Viney had the start of his redshirt senior season delayed due to surgery on his left foot. He injured the foot right before the official start of practice in mid-October. He played two of the three games at the DoubleTree LA Westside Centennial Classic and did not play against Idaho State due to soreness in his foot. He did not make the trip to Florida State and Morgan State but practiced following Christmas break.

GAME #13
The Lions will face Vanguard for the second time in school history, defeating the Lions 87-64 on Nov. 17, 2000. Vanguard is 7-4 on the season, defeating La Sierra 82-78 on Dec. 16. Three players average in dobule figures for the Lions, led by Christopher Kupets at 16.9 points per game.