The Lions have defeated the Portland Pilots in their last game of 2018. LMU had a commanding performance that sent the Pilots home with a 76-58 loss. The Lions have now picked up their first conference win as they head into the new year.
After winning the tip-off, a three pointer from Chelsey Gipson gave the Lions a lead that they would not rescind throughout the duration of the match. Coming into the game after Saturday's loss to Gonzaga, the Lions showed a commanding presence in the first quarter to prove they could compete in a competitive WCC. Three 3-pointers and a hot start from Gipson (who had a three, a jumper, and a fast break) were the highlights of Q1, which ended with the Lions leading 20-16.
A strong defensive effort from the Lions kept the Pilots to only 10 points in the second quarter. LMU kept up a high pressure to force the Pilots to take ambitious shots from behind the line. Despite their defensive effort, the Lions were a little off their mark in the second quarter, and would end the half by a small margin of six. The halftime score was 32-26, Lions.
The Lions came out strong in the third, eager to pull farther away from the Pilots. Another set of triple three's from the Lions allowed them to extend their margin to as high as 16. The Lions put up 22 point in the third, their highest scoring quarter of the game so far. With three seconds on the clock, the quarter ended with a phenomenal 3 point play from Brittney Reed, assisted by Andee Velasco. Going into the final quarter, the Lions led 54-38.
The Lions continued to break away from the Pilots in an exciting fourth quarter. LMU put up another 22 points and kept their leading margin in the double digits throughout the quarter. Velasco put up two more three pointers to bring her game total to five and led the quarter with eight points. The Lions took their first conference win with a final score of 76-58.
The Lions victory over Portland can be contributed to the outstanding performance of some key players. Gipson, who recently returned to the court from a concussion, led the team with 19 points, as well as 5 assists. Velasco scored a season high, with 17 points, and contributed 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Bree Alford was a major component of the victory as well, achieving 12 rebounds, 7 offensive and 5 defensive. Head Coach Elliott was proud to see "a lot of people step up and do a lot of different things." She believes the win was "a combination of a lot of people doing the little things."
Coach Elliott says the victory was "a great way to end 2018" as the team, who is coming off of a small losing streak, "needed to work for something and earn something and be successful." The team still has "a long way to go", but can celebrate the new year tonight with a conference win under their belt.
Next up, the Lions will be on road to face San Diego on Jan. 3, and then off to Provo to play BYU on Jan. 5.
