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LOS ANGELES - LMU led for over 36 minutes in their match-up with BYU, but the Cougars got hot late from three and earned an 81-76 come-from-behind victory at Gersten Pavilion on Saturday afternoon in the West Coast Conference Game of the Week.

Back-to-back three-pointers by TJ Haws, the second coming with 36 seconds left, finished the Cougars come-back and helped erase an 18-point deficit. The Lions (7-6, 0-2), who led by 18 with 2:32 to play in the first half and held a 10-point lead with 9:01 to play in the game, couldn't get the equalizer in the final seconds.

Trevor Manuel led the Lions off the bench for the second straight game with 16 points and seven rebounds. Stefan Jovanovic had 12 points and Shamar Johnson had 10 in his return.

Nick Emery, who finished 5-for-11 from three, and Haws, who hit 4-for-8 from long range, each had 20 to lead BYU. The starters scored all but five points for BYU (11-4, 2-0). Eric Mika added 17 points and 10 rebounds while Yoeli Childs had 15 points.

After BYU cut the Lions lead to three with 6:54 to play, both teams would begin trading baskets. Kelvin Amayo gave the Lions a six point lead with 2:58 to play on a lay-up. The three-pointer then started to take over.

Emery hit a three with 2:40 to play to cut the lead to three, and then after a Lions miss Haws buried another to tie the game at 76-76 with two minutes on the clock.

Both teams would miss on their next possessions, setting up Haws for what would be the winner with 39 seconds left.

The Lions shot 54 percent in the first half and had a 24-8 edge in point in the paint to take a 47-34 lead at the half. BYU, who shot just 35 percent in the first half, reverse the tables and finished 15-for-30 in the second half, including 5-for-10 from three. The Lions shot 13-for-31 in the second half, going 48.4 percent for the game. BYU finished 42.6 percent on the day.

LMU had a chance to extend the lead even more but went just 9-for-17 from the free throw line (52.9 percent) while BYU went 20-for-29 (69 percent).

GAMEDAY STORYLINES

• The Lions worked inside early and often and started the game shooting as good as 60 percent at one point and took a 41-23 lead with 2:32 to play. The Cougars managed to cut the lead to 13 at the break. The Lions had 12 assists on 17 field goals in the half and nine different players scored.

• LMU forced BYU into seven first half turnovers but only two in the second half. LMU finished the game out-rebounding the Cougars 42-35.

FROM COACH DUNLAP

"Free throws once again really hurt us," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "Even with the mistakes we getting our chances and had opportunities to take control. But plus-11 advantage at the line. The free throws continues to hamstring us."

"They beat us from three. Haws and Emery got hot and they did a good job of getting them good looks," said Dunlap. "They went to a zone in the second half and that slowed us a bit, but we solved it and got going. Stef's foul trouble hurt us again. Very disappointing loss, but a lot of hope in this team."

GAMEDAY PHOTOS

UP NEXT

LMU will stay in Southern California for another week but will hit the road as they travel to Malibu to take on Pepperdine on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7 pm. They then return home for Santa Clara on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 3 pm.