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LOS ANGELES - A nightmare first half was too much to overcome as LMU fell to the second-best team in the nation, Gonzaga, 80-51, in West Coast Conference play at the McCarthey Athletic Center on Thursday night.

The No. 2 Bulldogs (25-1, 13-0) scored the game's first 20 points, held the Lions without a field goal for the first 12 minutes of the game and forced the Lions (8-18, 4-10) into six turnovers in the first seven minutes. The Lions shot just 12 percent in the first half on 3-for-25 field goals as Gonzaga hit 57.7 percent to take a 44-15 lead into the locker room.

"There are three things that will determine a game - field goal percentage, rebounding and turnovers," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "We only shot 12 percent in the first half, in our first eight possessions we had six turnovers and then the rebound edge. And there it is."

LMU finished the game hitting 29.4 percent rom the field while the Zags in 49.1 percent as the Lions played Gonzaga even in the second half but it was too much to overcome. The Lions scored 15 points in the first half, 36 in the second. The Lions finished with 14 turnovers to Gonzaga's 11 and the Bulldogs held a 46-30 edge in rebounds.

David Humphries led LMU with 11 points and was the only Lion in double figures. Kyle Wiltjer had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead Gonzaga.

"It is a lethal cocktail mixture," said Dunlap. "We are young and new with no reference point to coming here. Then they jumped on us and we got impulsive, took bad shots and got impatient. And against them, that is a cocktail recipe for disaster."

The Lions continue their trip in the Pacific Northwest when they head to Portland on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7 pm.