LOS ANGELES – A different LMU offense came out of the locker room for the second half, leading the Lions (4-3) to a 51-48 win over UC Irvine (2-4). LMU more than doubled their scoring output in the final 20 minutes to remain unbeaten at home.
 
Despite a 17-point first half, the LMU defense kept the Lions in the game at intermission. The Lions held UC Irvine to 30.0 percent (9-for-13) shooting in the first half and forced nine turnovers to make it a four-point deficit at the half, 21-17.
 
After the Anteaters pushed their lead to seven points less than five minutes into the second half, LMU went on a 6-0 run capped off by Fastbreak buckets by way of a Dameane Douglas dunk and an Ivan Alipiev layup.
 
The run ballooned into a 19-to-3 stretch over 7:39 to give the Lions a 41-32 lead with 8:14 remaining in the game. In addition to another Douglas dunk in that run, as part of his game-high 18 points, LMU hit a pair of threes coming off the hands of Alipiev and Kodye Pugh.
 
The Lions held a nine-point lead again with two minutes to play, before eventually holding onto to win 51-48.
 
Mattias Markusson grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds to go along with his seven points, including a two-minute period down the stretch where he accounted for LMU's last six points with a dunk, layup, and pair of free throws.
 
Eli Scott secured the three-point advantage with a made free throw with 10 seconds remaining. UCI had a final look in the closing seconds, but the LMU defense stayed firm one final time to secure the win.
 
The Lions matched a season-high with five steals and added four blocked shots with half coming from Markusson. Joe Quintna led the way with four assists and three steals.
 
The Lions will have a quick turnaround, as Cal Poly San Luis Obispo heads to Gersten Pavilion on Saturday for a 6 p.m. game on the WCC Network.