LAS VEGAS – It was a cold-shooting second half that erased a halftime lead and ended Loyola Marymount men's basketball's tournament. The Lions (20-11, 8-8 WCC) followed a 42-point first half performance with 23 in the second half, for a 68-65 loss to Pepperdine.
 
"Full credit to Pepperdine they shows a lot of resiliency," said Head Coach Mike Dunlap. "As the game unfolded, it was a game of details."


 
Both teams came out firing in the first half, finishing at 57.7 percent (15-for-26) for the Lions and 52.0 percent (13-for-25) for the Waves.
 
LMU erased a five-point deficit and built up a lead to as high as nine in the first half before a dozen points from center Mattias Markusson. Joe Quintana sunk his two three attempts in the opening 20 minutes and recorded eight points before intermission.
 
The Lions increased the lead to double-digits with a Markusson layup at the 16:46 mark of the second half. The junior finished three-points off his career high with 19 points.
 
As Pepperdine cut it to five, member of the 2017-18 All-Tournament Team James Batemon, hit LMU's lone three of the second half with 11:21 remaining to push it to a 54-46 game. The senior scored 11 points in a full 40 minutes of action.
 
The Waves responded with a 14-5 run to take their first lead after intermission. Zafir Williams responded with a jumper to take back the lead. The two teams traded the next two possessions with Pepperdine retaking the lead and Dameane Douglas scoring two of his eight points to push the Lions back ahead.
 
After Williams put LMU back up three with 4:06 to play, Pepperdine closed the game on a 6-0 run to take the game, 68-65.
 
Pepperdine won the game on a Colbey Ross three with 31 seconds remaining to break the tie. The Waves shot 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from three against the Lions, the highest of any opponent against the Lions this year.
 
The loss ends LMU's tournament. The 20-win season was just the second in program history after 1990. Loyola Marymount will wait word if the team will be invited to participate in the team's first postseason tournament since 2012.