Feb. 5, 2014
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LOS ANGELES - Riding a two-game win streak, the LMU women's basketball team heads back out on the road for the season's second match-up against the Portland Pilots. A key game in the WCC standings, the Lions and Pilots tip off Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Chiles Center in Portland.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014 - LMU at Portland, 7 p.m. - Chiles Center
Live Stats | Watch on PortlandPilots.com | Listen on LMULions.com
Game Notes: Interactive | PDF
COMPLETING THE SEASON SWEEP
LMU's 90-74 win over Pepperdine on Feb. 1 completed the home-and-home season sweep of the Waves for the second straight year. The Lions have now won four straight against their Wells Fargo PCH Cup rival. Leslie Lopez-Wood led all scorers with 18 points and Hazel Ramirez and Mackenzie Kerins chipped in 16 apiece as the Lions had five players in double figures. Leading by 13 at the half, LMU essentially put the game away by the midway point of the second period as a three by Lopez-Wood made it a 20-point game, 65-45, with 11:26 to play. The spread stretched to as many as 28 as the Lions hit 55 percent from the field and were able to empty the bench down the stretch.
FINDING THEIR STRIDE
Over the first 15 games of the season, the Lions averaged 66.3 points while shooting 36.6 percent from the field, 28 percent from three in 69 percent from the charity stripe. The tide has turned in the past six games as the Lions have hit a collective 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 81 percent from the free-throw line. Four Lions have averaged double figures during the stretch including Deanna Johnson (17.6 ppg), Hazel Ramirez (16.3 ppg), Leslie Lopez-Wood (15.2 ppg) and Sophie Taylor (11.5 ppg). Ramirez has also dished 8.2 apg and gone 37-for-42 (88.1 percent) from the free-throw line, including a streak of 23 straight, while Lopez-Wood has hit 22-of-51 (43.1 percent) from deep. The numbers have produced results as the Lions have won four of their last six games, including a pair on the road.
DISHING DIMES
Hazel Ramirez has dished 11 assists in back-to-back games (against Portland on Jan. 25 and Pepperdine on Feb. 1), bringing her season total to 121. That mark is sixth in LMU's single-season record book and marks the second year in a row that the senior point guard has surpassed the century mark. She also leads the WCC with 5.8 apg. Her 121 assists this season brings Ramirez's career total to 407, good for third place in LMU's all-time record book. Next in line is Kristen Bruich (1988-91) with 429. The all-time LMU record is 441, set by Marlee Webb in 1993-96.
FRESHMAN ON FIRE
Leslie Lopez-Wood has hit four three's in each of the last five games and is shooting 39 percent from deep for the season. The rookie, who has a single-game high of six - one shy of the LMU record - now has 50 three's on the year, good for the all-time LMU freshman record. She enters Thursday's game at Portland ranked seventh in the LMU single-season record book. Next on the list, in sixth, is Renahy Young (2009-10) who hit 51 threes in a single-season. The all-time LMU record is 67, set in back-to-back seasons by Amanda Patton (2005-06 and 2006-07).
SPREAD THE WEALTH
Five players scored in double-figures versus Pepperdine on Feb. 1, marking the fourth time this season that a quintet of players have achieved the feat in a game. Prior to this season, the last time LMU had five players reach double figures in a game was Jan. 21, 2010 versus Portland. The Lions have also had four players in double-figures five times this season, including Jan. 23 versus Gonzaga. Six different players have led the scoring column in a game, including Ramirez (8), Deanna Johnson (7), Leslie Lopez-Wood (2), Sophie Taylor (2), Emily Ben-Jumbo (1) and Chelsea Barnes (1).
ABOUT THE PORTLAND PILOTS
Portland is 12-10 overall and 5-6 in WCC play, shitting one spot ahead of the Lions in the league standings this week. The Pilots bounced back from a two-game losing streak to finish last weekend with a 75-55 win over visiting Santa Clara. Cassandra Brown leads a trio of Pilots in double-figures, averaging 14.1 ppg. Kari Luttinen averages 13.3 ppg and Jasmine Wooton chips in 12.7 ppg. The Pilots hit just under 40 percent from the field, 32 percent from three and 73 percent from the charity stripe.
