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LOS ANGELES - LMU traveled to the Galen Center looking for a second straight win over USC as they took a five-point lead early, starting the game 7-for-13 from the field. However, an 0-for-11 stretch put them down at the break and they couldn't recover as they fall to the Trojans, 77-61, on Wednesday night.

The Lions finished the first half hitting two of their last 19 shots, going 28.1 percent from the field overall in the half to trail 36-21. The Lions played nearly even in the second half, cutting the lead to as low as nine but could not climb out of the early hole. The Lions (3-4) finished the game hitting 36.8 percent from the field while the Trojan (5-3) hit 46.8 percent.

"We have been in a pattern where we have been putting ourselves in the position to dig out of a hole," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "We are going through lots of growing pains and we are still trying to figure some things out. The physical effort we are showing, fighting to the end, will be rewarded. No one can say we ever stop playing. But we are still figuring us out, and that is on me."

Sophomore Evan Payne led the Lions with 19 points and was the only Lion in double figures. Three Lions had seven rebounds, including Godwin Okonji with six offensive boards that helped the Lions attempt to fight back in the second half. Okonji had seven points as the Lions had 18 offensive rebounds and held a 19-7 advantage in second chance points.

Down by as many as 20, the Lions used the offensive glass to fight within nine, 51-42, with 8:52 to play on a Marin Mornar tip-in. And then after USC stretched it back to 15, they cut it to 10, 59-49, on a three-point play by Payne with 5:02 to play. Back-to-back three-pointers by USC would put the game out of reach.

Jordan McLaughlin led USC with 18 points as the Trojans hit 9-for-21 from three (42.9 percent). The Lions shot well from beyond the arc, hitting 7-for-17 (41.2 percent).

Patson Simae also had seven rebounds, three offensive, on the night, adding six points and a pair of blocks. Ayodeji Egbeyemi had seven rebounds with six points and a block. The Lions, who entered the week tops in the West Coast Conference in blocks, had seven on the night.

"We have to take care of the ball better and we gave up way too many easy baskets in transition," said Dunlap. "We have to solve our defensive transition and have better shot selection. We missed some early shots and then started chasing shadows." The Lions had 16 turnovers but managed to win the points off turnovers battle, 20-19, as USC finished with 13 turnovers.

The Lions enter finals week next week and are off until they travel to Northern Arizona on Saturday, Dec. 13 for a 1 pm tipoff (PT).