LOS ANGELES – The Loyola Marymount University women's basketball team dropped its first conference game of the season, as the Lions fell to Brigham Young University 59-44 in Gersten Pavilion on Saturday afternoon. 
 
LMU vs BYU 59-44
The Cougars put the first two points on the board, but Raychel Stanley made a layup to tie things up. A layup by Chelsey Gipson gave the Lions their first lead of the game. Aspyn Adams made the first three-point shot of the game, but the Cougars responded, going on a 17-0 run, and ended the quarter up 21-12. 
 
Both teams had a slow second quarter, as the Lions only scored eight points, while four of them came from Gipson, and BYU scored 10. The Lions closed out the half down 31-20. 
 
The Lions went on a 6-0 run to open up the third quarter to only trail the Cougars by five. The Lions battled, but BYU maintained its momentum, leaving the third up 45-29. 
 
Meghan Mandell opened up the fourth quarter with a made free throw, the only point for the first four and a half minutes of the quarter. LMU wasn't able to catch up with BYU, closing out the game with a 59-44 loss. 
 
Gipson led the Lions in points and rebounds, with 10 and six, while CiCi Ellington had nine points. Gipson, Stanley and Brittney Reed all had two assists. Mandel led the team in blocks with three, while Gipson had two steals. 
 
The Lions shot 28 percent from the field, while the Cougars shot 37 percent. Both teams shot 19 percent from behind the arch. LMU had 39 total rebounds, while BYU had 44. The Lions had five total steals, compared to BYU's three. 
 
Up next: The Lions will continue conference play on Monday, as the team will be taking on San Diego at home.