Dec. 5, 2015 LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- In a stretch of games where they are playing seven of nine on the road, LMU men's basketball will make a quick one-game pitstop at Gersten Pavilion when they host UC Riverside on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3 pm. UC Riverside (5-2) will be the fourth opponent for the Lions (4-3) from the Big West Conference. The game can be seen on the LMU Sports Network and heard on KXLU 88.9 FM.
LMULIONS.COM GAMEDAY:
THE MATCH-UP
This will be the ninth meeting in the series between LMU and UC Riverside. The previous eight meetings have been split evenly with the Lions winning the last two contests, including a 66-62 win a year ago in Gersten Pavilion... The Highlanders have won three of four, including a 77-66 win at home over Northern Colorado. LMU will be their third WCC foe, defeating Santa Clara 77-63 in Riverside while falling at San Francisco, 58-57... Senior leadership is the key for the Highlanders as seniors Taylor Johns and Jaylen Bland average 18 points per game. Johns had 23 points and nine rebounds in last season's match-up. Bland had 15 points... Last year's meeting wasn't pretty as it featured 49 fouls and 44 turnovers. Junior Matt Hayes hit four three-pointers and finished with 16 points.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
As of Dec. 3, LMU enters the week ranked 9th nationally and the best in the WCC from the charity stripe at 77.9 percent... The Lions lead the WCC with a +5.3 turnover margin, ranking 17th nationally. The Lions force teams into 17.1 turnovers per game (best in the WCC) while ranking second with just 11.9 turnovers themselves. They are ranked 25th nationally and the best in the WCC in forcing turnovers... The Lions are ranked second in the WCC and 17th nationally in steals and steals per game.
GAMEDAY
Sunday's game will be Greek Open House with activities taking place starting at 1 pm in a pregame celebration in the parking lot in front of the Burns Center. Greek organization presidents will compete in halftime contests with the winning group earning $250 toward their philanthropy. In addition, the Lions will recognize women's soccer and women's volleyball at halftime. Both teams advanced in the NCAA tournament this fall. During the stretch of home games this holiday season, LMU Athletics and the LAX Community Relations Division have partnered to help support the Bob Hope USO. During every game throughout the holiday season, fans are asked to donate new, travel-sized personal care items for our military. Such items include toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, sunscreen, shaving cream and shampoo. Collection bins will be located in the lobby of Gersten Pavilion at all men's and women's basketball home games through Dec. 23. Following the match-up with the Highlanders, the Lions will play the next five out of six games on the road, traveling to Boise State (Dec. 9) and CS Fullerton (Dec. 12). They return home to finish non-conference play on Military Appreciation Night, Friday, Dec. 18 at 6 pm against Jacksonville State.
INSIDE THE LIONS
The Lions had their three game win steak snapped at Oregon State, 79-70, on Dec. 2. They are now 4-3 on the season, splitting the recent two-game road swing. They opened with a 73-60 win over SE Missouri St. on Nov. 28... LMU is 3-0 at home to start the early season, defeating CSUN 82-80 in overtime on Nov. 25, and are on a stretch playing seven of their next nine games on the road. The single-game pit-stops at home are Dec. 6 against UC Riverside and Dec. 18 against Jacksonville State... Heading into Dec. 6 against UC Riverside, the Lions' opponents in non-conference are a combined 39-31 on the season with the three setbacks coming to teams with a record of 15-5.
Ball handling once again was key for the Lions in the last match-up. The Lions finished with just 11 turnovers while creating 16 for Oregon State on 10 steals. On the season, the Lions lead the WCC and rank 20th in the nation with a +5.33 turnover margin. The Lions force a league leading 17.1 turnovers while only turning the ball over 11.0 times per game, second in the WCC. The Lions' aggressive defense so far this season has equated to 123 points, holding a 17-8 edge in points off turnovers against Oregon State.
LMU is hitting 77.9 percent from the free throw line, a good six percent better than the next best team in the WCC. However, you wouldn't have known it Wednesday. The Lions managed just two free throw attempts, missing both attempts on the front-end of one-and-ones. Looking back 50 years, it appears this is the second time the Lions have gone with out a free throw made in program history. The other came on Nov 26, 1982 when the Lions went 0-for-1 against Idaho at the Fresno State Tournament.
The Lions finished the win at SEMO 10-for-31 from three and then 8-for-26 against Oregon State, giving them five straight games with eight or more three-pointers. It is the longest streak of eight or more since the Lions went six straight games in the 1997-98 season.
Sophomore Joshua Spiers erupted for a career-best 24 points, hitting 6-of-10 three-pointers, to lead the Lions in overtime against CSUN. As a freshman, Spiers had 25 points and six three-pointers for the season. He finished 7-for-11 from the field, adding three rebounds and a steal. He scored five of the Lions' nine points in overtime and hit the would be game winner. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. On Saturday, he was one of five Lions in double figures, scoring 10-points with two more three pointers. He was once again perfect from the line, leading the Lions to its third straight win. He finished the week 9-for-18 from the field, 8-for-17 from three, 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, adding four rebounds, two assists and three steals.
Joshua Spiers' six three-pointers against CSUN on Nov. 25 is tied for the most in the last 20 years. Junior Matt Hayes hit six three-pointers a year ago against Santa Clara (Feb. 21, 2015), going for his career-best 20. Adoyah Miller also hit six three pointers in a double-overtime win against Boise State on Dec. 19, 2006. Spiers leads the Lions with 12 three-pointers on the season, hitting 41.7 percent. Sophomore Steven Haney has hit 11 and junior Brandon Brown has hit six, leading the Lions at 46.2 percent from long range.
Adom Jacko's 22 points and 10 rebound effort in the opener is the first double-double by an LMU player in his first game as a Lion against an NCAA Division I program in 35 years. Senior Marin Mornar had 13 and 11 against Pacifica on Nov. 9, 2012. In addition, the 22 points were the most by a Lions' player in his first game since Larry Davis had 22 against Boise State on Nov. 13, 2009. Brandon Worthy had a 24-point effort against Loyola Chicago on Nov. 22, 2002 for the best scoring game by a Lion his first collegiate game (freshman).
Senior Marin Mornar was second in the WCC in blocks a year ago, finishing with 47 as a junior to rank 5th all-time for blocks in a season. He is back at it to start his senior season. He had three in the opener against the Titans and added five more since to move to third all-time with 101 blocks. The only four-year senior on the roster, he played in his 91st game against SEMO.
