Stockton, Calif. – Lions pick up their first conference victory in aggressive fashion. Dismantling the Pacific Tigers 66-56.

"Our team stepped up and played well, " stated Head Coach Aarika Hughes. "It was a great team win and a long time coming." 

Lions went on a strong run to start the first quarter, as Ariel Johnson went to work immediately.  She posted 8 points, as LMU's defense held the Pacific Tigers to just 10 total in the quarter. LMU controlled the boards as well, as Jasmine Jones collected 4 rebounds in the first alone., finishing with 7 total. 

Lions carried the momentum into the second as Nicole Rodriguez and Khari Clark made big plays on the offensive end.  Clark made a large contribution in the post scoring 6 points, while Rodriguez hit 2 three-point daggers to keep the Lions ahead of the Tigers 34-23 at half-time.
 
The beginning of the second half started with Alexis Mark scoring 5 straight points for the Lions, giving them a 10-point edge.  
 
Lions worked collectively to stay ahead of the Tigers during this conference battle, before losing Kimora Sykes to a knee injury early in the third.

"Kimora Sykes going down is heaving out my mind right now outside of the team win," added Coach Hughes. 

But this did not slow down the Lions as they were determined to pick up their first win in the West Coast Conference. 

LMU headed into the fourth up 44-38 with a chip on their shoulders. Ariel Johnson took over the game scoring 11 points alone.
 
Nicole Rodriguez hit 2 more clutch 3-pointers mid-way through the fourth as she shot 4-7 from the perimeter.

LMU controlled the boards all game, combining for a total of 42 rebounds total, with Ariel Johnson, Alexis Mark, and Jasmine Jones doing damage in the paint. 

Ariel Johnson went 92% from the field scoring 23 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and even tallied 4 assist. Nicole Rodriguez finished the game with 15 points, while Khari Clark and Alexis Mark both scored 8.

The Lions will head home for a home conference match against Saint Mary's, as they look to pick up another victory in the WCC. The conference game can be seen on the WCC Network, with tip-off from Gersten Pavilion set for 12 noon.