LOS ANGELES – Loyola Marymount men's basketball never trailed Thursday night at home. The Lions (16-6, 4-4 WWC) defeated Pacific (12-11) at home, 60-42.
 
"It's the best defense we've played since I've been here," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "To do what we did statistically to any Division I team is very special. Even when it got really tight in the second half we got stops. The defense was the whole story tonight."
 
The Lions opened the game on a 10-0 run with the defense keeping Pacific without a point on their first seven shots. Dameane Douglas kicked off the scoring with a dunk and finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. His nine made free throws made and 11 attempts were both career-highs as well.
 
It took more than six and a half minutes for the Tigers to find a point, and answered with a 7-0 run when they finally did score, but LMU responded and pushed their lead back up to 16-7.
 
LMU held Pacific to just six made field goals for a 27-21 lead at the break. The Tigers shot 24.0 percent in the first half, and 30.6 percent (15-for-49) for the game the lowest by any Division I opponent LMU has seen this season.
 
The Lions benefitted from a six-plus minute 10-0 run to extend a one-possession game to a 53-41 lead with 2:08 to play. The game ended with LMU outscoring Pacific 17-1 over the final 8:10 of the game.
 
LMU shot 64.7 percent in the second half. Both Mattias Markusson (5-for-6) and James Batmeon (4-for-5) missed just one shot apiece after intermission to hit the double-figure marks. Batemon led all scorers with a 19 point performance on 7-for-11 shooting and 3-for-4 from deep. Markusson shot 6-for-10 from the floor for 13 points.
 
Pacific's 42 points scored and seven assists conceited were the fewest by an opponent this year.
 
The Lions fly to Utah in the morning to prepare for Saturday's BYUTV matchup with the Cougars. The game will tip at 7 pm local time, 6 pm PST.