Dec. 13, 2014 Final Stats
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LOS ANGELES - Returning to Gersten Pavilion for the first time since claiming their own Thanksgiving Classic title on Nov. 29, the LMU women's basketball team faced a hot shooting UC Riverside squad Saturday night. The Lions got a career-night from sophomore Leslie Lopez-Wood, but the Highlanders hit better than 65 percent from three, sending LMU to a 81-55 setback.
One game removed from not scoring a point for the first time in 23 games, Lopez-Wood returned to form with a career-high 21 points, including 5-of-9 from three. The Lions (2-6) also got a career-high nine points from freshman Deshka Olson and a game-high 10 boards from Emily Ben-Jumbo.
LMU opened the game hitting 7-of-14 from the field to take a 16-15 lead on a Taylor Anderson jumper with 11:24 on the clock. But the Lions would go six minutes without a field goal while the Highlanders rolled off 17 straight points, including five three-pointers, opening up a 32-16 advantage with 5:33 remaining.
A Lopez-Wood runner in the lane would snap the drought and the Lions would close out the half on a 12-3 run to trail by seven, 35-28 at the half.
Brittany Crain led five Highlanders (6-3) in double figures, finishing with a game-high 24 points. Akilah Martin had 18 points off the bench and three others chipped in 10 apiece as UCR snapped a three-game losing streak with the win.
A Lopez-Wood jumper to open the second half brought the Lions within five, but UCR would quickly open up a double-digit lead with a 6-0 run and never look back, shooting a blistering 67 percent from the field in period (18-for-27), including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. The Highlanders would finish 15-for-23 from three (65 percent).
The Lions shot 30 percent for the game, and from beyond the arc as Lopez-Wood was the lone player in double figures. LMU did finish with a 46-38 rebounding edge, including 22 boards.
LMU returns to action on Thursday, Dec. 18, traveling across town to face USC at 4 p.m. at the Galen Center.
