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LOS ANGELES - With six players out of the line-up, LMU had a patch-work line-up for the final home game of the season against Santa Clara, including two seniors, a junior, a pair of junior transfers (one of which played in his first game of the season), a sophomore transfer and two freshmen.

The result was nine first half turnovers, 25 percent shooting in the opening frame and a 17-point deficit. However, once they figured it out, they looked poised for yet another comeback. The Lions managed to cut the Broncos' lead to just a pair but couldn't close any further, falling 70-63 on Saturday afternoon at Gersten Pavilion.

"We had a different mixture of players and it took us a half to learn how to play together," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "But got going a little bit in the second half. I couldn't have asked more of our guys given our current situation."

Junior Matt Hayes led the Lions' (8-21, 4-13) comeback, hitting five of his six three-pointers in the second half to finish with a career-best 20 points. He finished 7-for-16 from the field, hitting 6-for-13 from three. He added three rebounds and an assist in 36 minutes. Joining him in double figures was David Humphries with 16 points, four rebounds, four assist and three steals. Godwin Okonji had 15 points and five rebounds, four offensive.

Jared Brownridge led all scorers with 28 points. He hit all six of his three-pointers in the first half to help the Broncos (12-16, 6-10) go up by as many as 17 with 1:59 to play in the opening half. Denzel Johnson added 13 points.

"We battled the entire game and once again put ourselves in position to come back," said Dunlap. "But timely misses at the free throw line once again came back to bite us."

LMU trailed by as many as 16 in the second half and were down 10, 58-48, with 5:31 to play. The lead was nine, 64-55, after a pair of Brandon Clark free throws with 1:08 to play.

Hayes would then hit a big three-pointer just eight seconds later and then the Lions forced a five-second call on the next inbound. Okonji would capitalize with a dunk to make it 64-60 with 50 seconds left.

After just one free throw from the Broncos, Okonji hit a jumper with 36 seconds left to make it a three-point game. He was fouled on the play and he hit his ninth free throw to make it 65-63.

The Lions would not score again as Santa Clara hit five of their next six free throws to ice it.

The Lions finished the game hitting 19-for-27 from the free throw line, going 8-for-12 in the second half. The Broncos missed just three, going 16-for-19. Santa Clara finished 48.9 percent from the field, hitting 50 percent in the opening half. LMU finished 35.4 percent, going just 4-for-16 in the first half.

LMU finished with just 13 turnovers, committing only four in the second half. Santa Clara finished with 15.

Junior Connor Jean played in his first game as a Lion, going 15 minutes with two points and a rebound.

LMU will close the regular season when they travel to Pepperdine for the Wells Fargo PCH Cup on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 3 pm.