Jan. 2, 2014
Final Stats
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LOS ANGELES - Freshman Leslie Lopez-Wood poured in a career-high 18 points on six three-pointers to lead four Lions in double-figures, but the LMU women's basketball came up short in their seventh game decided by less than five points, falling 80-76 to San Francisco Thursday in Gersten Pavilion.
The setback snapped a five-game win streak against the Dons (6-7, 1-1 WCC). LMU is now 3-11 overall and 0-3 in West Coast Conference action.
Lopez-Wood's six threes were a career high while also tying for second in program history. The school record for threes in a single game is seven.
The freshman was joined in double figures by Deanna Johnson and Hazel Ramirez, who netted 17 points apiece. Taylor Anderson chipped in a season high 11 points off the bench - one off her career high.
Taj Winston led USF with 19 points, including 9-for-11 from the charity stripe. Zhane Dikes had 16 points off the bench.
USF's Jamie Katuna scored the first bucket of the game, but a three by Sophie Taylor put the lead into the Lions hands - a lead they would hold for the remainder of the half.
Six straight points by Johnson opened up a 14-6 lead for LMU at the 15:20 mark. The Lions would later lead by as many as 11 points on three occasions, including a 23-12 advantage with 12:44 to go.
The Dons would chip away late in the half, however, and score the final eight points of the period to carry a 38-36 lead into the break.
San Francisco kept the momentum to open the second half, using a 6-0 run midway through to open up its first double-digit lead, 59-48, with 11:04 to play.
A three by Lopez-Wood and a Emily Ben-Jumbo layup trimmed the Lion deficit to five, 64-59, with 6:02 to go. Down the stretch it would become a free throw game and USF made them when it mattered, holding off LMU by hitting 14-for-16 in the final five minutes, including 9-of-10 in the final 47 seconds.
For the game, USF earned 44 free-throw attempts, making 33. LMU went 11-for-19 from the charity stripe. The Lions won the battle on the boards, 50-41, but scored just 16 second-chance points off of 20 offensive rebounds.
LMU returns to action Saturday, Jan. 4, hosting Santa Clara in a 2 p.m. tilt in Gersten Pavilion. The Broncos are coming off of a 100-93 double-overtime loss at Pepperdine Thursday night.
