Feb. 18, 2017
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LOS ANGELES - It is a Homecoming Gameday at Gersten Pavilion. LMU men's basketball hosts the annual Homecoming Celebration today, Saturday, Feb. 18 at 3 pm in a PCH Cup rivalry match-up with Pepperdine. The activities begin at 1 pm with the Alumni Association Tailgate Party. It has been moved inside to the Burns Recreation Center's backcourt.
PROMOTIONS/COMING UP
The annual Homecoming is extra special this year as it includes the 2017 LMU Athletics' Hall of Fame. The Class of 2017 was inducted Friday evening in a special ceremony and this year's class will be introduced at halftime. In addition, the LMU Homecoming Court will be announced, as well as the winners of the office decorating contest and the LMU Housing door contest.
The annual Tailgate Party will feature various food trucks, fun games for kids of all ages and the distribution of the annual Homecoming T-Shirt. The "Crash the Waves" limited edition T-Shirt is only available during today's game. So get here early. As mentioned, the event has been moved inside due to the weather, and will get the day started in the backcourt inside the Burns Recreation Center.
The 2016-17 season is coming to the final regular season week and the Lions will host the final home game of the season against San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 pm. The game will be the traditional Senior Day and the Lions will honor the five seniors playing in their final game at Gersten Pavilion.
For tickets:
THE MATCH-UP
• Senior led LMU continues their season defined as the Cardiac Lions as they enter the week at 12-14 overall and 5-10 in the WCC after their 81-48 setback at No. 22 Saint Mary's Thursday. The Lions added a six-point win to their resume on Feb. 11 with the 66-60 win over Portland. On the season, the Lions have seen 11 of their games decided in the last 10 seconds of the contest (record of 4-7) and have played 15 games decided by eight points or less, going 7-8 in those contests. LMU is 3-3 in one-point games, 1-2 in three-point games, the five-point setback against BYU (Dec. 31), a pair of six-point wins in WCC play, a 1-1 in seven-point games and the eight-point setback at BYU on Jan. 28, 85-77.
• Pepperdine had their three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday at Santa Clara, falling 106-55. They are now 9-18 on the season overall and 5-10 in the WCC. The three-game winning streak for the Waves included wins over Pacific, BYU and at San Diego. Lamond Murray Jr. has been on fire of late, leading the WCC in scoring at 20.6 ppg. Senior transfer Chris Reyes averages 13.4 ppg and leads the team at 7.9 rpg.
• This will be the 166th meeting between LMU and Pepperdine, the longest running series in program history. The series has defined rivalry of late with extra frames needed in both meetings last season and a Reyes put-back with 1.7 seconds left in the first meeting this season. Last season, Pepperdine won 68-65 in overtime in Malibu on Jan. 2, 2016 and then in the final regular game of the season on Feb. 27, 2016, the Lions pulled out a 90-83 double overtime win. In this season's first meeting on Jan. 5, Pepperdine used that Reyes' buzzer beater for the 71-70 victory. Buay Tuach had 18 points to lead the Lions who had four players in double figures. Brandon Brown added 11 points and seven assists while Shamar Johnson and Stefan Jovanovic added 10 each. Reyes led the Waves with 21 while Murray had 19.
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