LOS ANGELES, Calif., -- The Loyola Marymount women's basketball team ended its historic season Thursday night after a second half rally to come up short to the University of Idaho in Gersten Pavilion in the first round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. 
 
This was the first time in 15 years that the Lions had made the post season, and only the second time in program history making the WNIT. The Lions were picked to host the first round, where they fell to Idaho 79-64. 
 
"I can't be anything but proud about how we competed, Idaho is a great basketball team and they came out and were on fire," said head coach Charity Elliott. "We kept battling and we kept fighting. It showed the growth and maturity to come out and play that hard and that together tonight, there are a lot of tears in the locker room because they laid everything out there. I am just so proud of our effort tonight, we played we competed we fought, we never quit and we never gave up. "
 
LMU struggled throughout the first half, as the Lions had the biggest deficit in the second quarter at 25 points. The team ended the half down 45-23. 
 
The Lions came back out in the second half with a change in momentum, as the team went on several runs to lessen Idaho's lead to single digits. Andee Velasco led the Lions through their second half rally, as she had nine points in just the third quarter. 
 
LMU left the third down 62-51 and kept their momentum in the fourth quarter, cutting their deficit to just eight points. Although the team battled it out until the end, they could not escape the Vandals, closing out the last game of their season 79-64 and ending their stint in the WNIT.
 
 
"I think today we were really locked in on our game plan, I think we came out and we knew what we were supposed to do, we stayed together despite everything, we just fought until the end, we never stopped and we never quit," said Andee Velasco. 
 
 
 Seniors Gabby Green and Andee Velasco led the team in points with 16 and 15 respectively, while Jasmine Jones led in rebounds with seven and senior Bree Alford had six rebounds and three assists. 
 
The Lions close out their 2018-19 season 18-15 overall and 10-8 in conference play
 
"I am very proud of my teammates tonight," said Velasco. "I am proud of everything we have gone through, especially us seniors, we have been through a lot together. It is really sad that this is it and this is the end, but I know that the team is in good hands and we have a bright future. I am excited to see where our program goes."