Westwoood, Calif. – The Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team has set a new mark in the program record books with eight straight wins to open a season. The Lions (8-1) suffered their first loss of the 2018-19 campaign with a 82-58 setback at UCLA (6-2).
 
"It was a cocktail of things tonight," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "We were really focused on their three-point shooting, but it was their pressure, penetratriom, and free throws that were the biggest issue."
 
The Bruins led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a 4-0 lead, before Mattias Markusson showed his post prowess to get LMU on the board and cut the deficit in half. The Bruins extended the lead to 9-3 forcing a timeout.
 
Eli Scott forced a key UCLA goaltending call pulling the Lions within four, 13-9 with 13:41 remaining in the first to keep it within four points. As the Bruins built up a double-digits lead, Petr Herman stopped a 6-0 run with a hook in the paint at the 10:55 mark to make it a nine-point game again. He finished with a team-high eight points in the first half and totaled double-figures for the second-consecutive game, while leading the way with all three LMU blocks.
 
LMU overcame 29 percent (9-for-31) shooting in the first half to trail by only a dozen at the break, 39-27. Only one three fell for the Lions in the opening half, compared to five from long range for the Bruins. Jeffery McClendon hit LMU's first three of the game with 7:24 remaining until halftime, part of a 5-0 run.
 
Dameane Douglas opened the second half with a corner three to make it a single digit game on LMU's opening possession out of the locker room. Douglas led the Lions in scoring and rebounding with 11 points and eight boards.
 
James Batemon hit his first field goal of the game with 14:31, the first of two consecutive baskets by the senior guard. The baskets preceded a 6-0 run to make it 58-48, but the Lions were unable to bring it to single-digits after that point.

The offensive rebounding advantage went in favor of LMU, with the Lions grabbing 21 O-boards compared to just 12 for UCLA. LMU also led in steals 7-3. UCLA's advantage was in shooting, finishing at a 47 percent mark compared to 29 percent for the Lions.
 
The Lions are back on the road this week with a game at Cal State Fullerton scheduled for Wednesday night, part of the season-long three-game swing away from the Bluff.