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LOS ANGELES - Behind an all-around offensive and defensive attack, the LMU women's basketball ran past UC Irvine, 58-39, in its opening game of the 19th annual LMU Thanksgiving Classic Friday afternoon at Gersten Pavilion.

Jackie Johnson led LMU (2-3) with 15 points, connecting on 7-of-10 from the floor to mark her fourth straight game with double-digit scoring figures. Cheyanne Wallace notched her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Leslie Lopez-Wood poured in eight points, while Andee Velasco dished out five assists. UCI's (0-5) Sabrina Engelstad led the Anteaters with 11 points and 14 rebounds.

The Anteaters netted the opening basket 14 seconds into the game before LMU reeled off a 21-0 run to close out the quarter, hitting on 60.0 percent (9-of-15) from the floor while holding UCI to just 0.7 percent (1-of-14). Surrendering just three points, the Lions set a new program record for fewest points allowed in a quarter, besting its mark of allowing just eight points a season ago against UC Irvine on Nov. 28, 2015.

UC Irvine made it a 29-15 game with 5:21 left in the half, but LMU held the Anteaters without a field goal for remainder of the quarter to grab a 38-17 lead heading into the locker room. The Lions suffocated UCI's attack in the first half, forcing 14 turnovers, and tallied 16 points off Anteater miscues.

"I thought in the first half we did a good job of moving the ball around," said head coach Charity Elliott. "They were mixing up their defenses a bit going from man to zone and it took us a little while to recognize what was happening, but when we did we were able to make some passes and just get some rhythm shots."

Velasco, Johnson and Wallace combined for 13 of LMU's 15 third-quarter points, furthering the Lions command to 53-29. From there, LMU cruised to the victory as nine of 10 Lions who saw action got on the scoreboard. The Lions allowed just 39 points, its lowest opponent total since a 65-39 win over Jackson State Nov. 11, 2007.

"We were doing a little bit of trapping and doing a little bit of mixing up our defenses as well," said Elliott. "I thought that kind of gave us a little bit of a push and gave us a little bit of a lead and then we were able to maintain that."

The Lions will close out the LMU Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow against Belmont for a 3:30 p.m. tilt.