PORTLAND, Ore. – LMU benefited from a 17-0 run in the first half and played a complete game to defeat Portland, 75-50. The Lions (7-7, 3-3 WCC) even their record both overall and in conference play and picked up the first road win of the season in the win over the Pilots 6-10, 0-7).
 
Mattias Markusson finished the game with career-highs in scoring and field goals with 25 points on 10-for-12 shooting. The big man also grabbed 13 rebounds to complete the double-double.
 
The early 17-0 run, which included a pair of three from both Jalin Anderson and Ivan Alipiev, gave LMU the lead and the team never surrendered. The two came out firing with Alipiev shooting 4-for-5 from long range and Anderson hitting three of five threes in the opening 20 minutes. Alipiev tied his season-high with 16 points and Anderson added nine points with seven assists.
 
The run was part of a larger 25-3 stretch that pushed the Lions ahead 27-9 after the game opened with LMU trailing 6-2. Despite leading by 18 points in the first half, Portland cut into the deficit and made it single digits with 3:19 to play in the half.
 
The Lions carried a 39-28 lead into intermission after hitting 8-for-14 (57.1 percent) threes in the half.
 
LMU held the Pilots to just 22 points in the second half, and increased the lead to as many as 26 points.
 
Eli Scott dished out seven assists and scored five of his seven points after the break.
 
Joe Quintana went 4-for-6 from long range in his return to the court, and Parker Dortch hit both of his three attempts for six points. The Lions shot a season-best 52.0 percent (13-for-25) from three in the win.
 
The 25-point win is LMU's largest in conference play since the Lions won at Portland, 72-55, in 2019.
 
After playing four games in seven nights, the Lions will next play on Saturday afternoon at San Diego.