LOS ANGELES – LMU Men's Basketball (1-1) and UC Riverside (1-1) played two opposite halves as the Highlanders flipped an 18-point halftime deficit to defeat the Lions, 81-79.
 
LMU took the opening tip of the game that led to Rick Issanza first winning the jump ball then being rewarded with a dunk. A collision limited Issanza to just three minutes of action.
 
Later in the half, LMU used a 9-0 run with back-to-back threes by Cam Shelton and a knockdown triple from Alex Merkviladze to push the Lions up double-digits, 30-19 with 7:43 on the clock.
 
Shelton ended the half on a personal 5-0 run with a dunk and three to push the senior to 16 first half points. LMU Led 52-34 at intermission.
 
Keli Leaupepe opened the second half with a basket before the Highlanders used a 17-1 run to cut their deficit from 20 to four over a 4-and-a-half-minute span. Leaupepe scored 16 points with three threes before fouling out later in the half.
 
Back-to-back threes from Justin Ahrens and Cam Shelton ended the run and built a double-digit lead back for the Lions.
 
UC Riverside kept chipping away, eventually taking their first lead of the game with 4:15 remaining on a made three to push ahead 73-72.

With the Highlanders up two, Merkviladze converted an and-1 with 1:36 on the clock to give LMU a 77-76 advantage. Merkviladze finished with 18 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
 
Following a made three on the other end, Shelton tied the game with a layup and his game-high 23^rd point. UC Riverside scored the winning basket with just over a second on the clock to secure their first win of the young season.
 
The Lions will have a quick turnaround, playing UC Davis at home on Saturday night. The Thursday to Saturday scheduling will mirror the WCC's slate for conference play.
 
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