LOS ANGELES – It came down to the final possession, and LMU's shot to win it just did not fall on their home court. Loyola Marymount men's basketball (16-8, 4-6 WCC) dropped a back-and-forth battle with San Diego (16-8, 5-4 WCC) on Thursday Night, 65-63.
 
On the final possession, LMU inbounded the ball with 12.7 remaining after USD split a pair of free throws. James Batemon raced the ball up court, but despite leaning into the three attempt his shot did not fall and contact was not called, ending the game.
 
The Lions shot 28.6 percent (2-for-7) from three after the break, as compared to 62.5 percent (5-for-8) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Early in the game, the Lions went on a 13-0 run to erase a deficit and jump ahead 23-16 with 8:12 to play in the first half. Batemon hit a pair of threes and scored eight points in the run, and Dameane Douglas accounted for the other five. Batemon finished with 11 points, all in the first half, and Douglas split his game-high 15 points with seven before intermission and eight afterwards.
 
That run extended to 17-2 courtesy of back-to-back baskets by Petr Herman in his 100^thcareer game as a Lion. Herman finished a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and tied his season-high with 10 points.
 
LMU took a 31-29 lead into the half, before Joe Quintana opened the second half with back-to-back threes to push the LMU lead to 37-31 following his personal 6-0 run.
 
After the Toreros tied the score at 43-all, Herman jumped the passing lane and went coast-to-coast for the fast break dunk. Jordan Bell followed suit and jumped into another passing lane to put LMU up five with 4:45 to play.
 
LMU held the lead up Isaiah Wright hit a game-winning layup with 37 seconds remaining to go up one.
 
The Lions travel to Portland to play the Pilots on Saturday night at 7 p.m. on another game streaming on TheW.tv. Portland is winless in WCC play so far this season.