IRVINE, Calif. – LMU cut a 20-point halftime deficit in half but could not get within single digits on Tuesday. The UC Irvine Anteaters remained undefeated by knocking off the Lions, 79-64.
 
After UCI hit the opening basket, Jalin Anderson hit a three followed by a Rick Issanza hook shot to give the Lions a 5-2 lead. LMU extended the lead to 13-7 on a 6-0 run sparked by an Issanza alley-oop thrown by Keli Leaupepe. From that point the Anteaters scored the next 14 points to build up a 21-13 lead.
 
Michael Graham and Keli Leaupepe hit back-to-back shots to snap the run and cut it back to a four-point game, but the home team benefited from 53.3 percent shooting in the half to take a 45-25 lead into the halftime intermission. LMU shot just 1-for-12 from three in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Lions came out in the second half looking to cut into the deficit and flip the script. A 12-0 run over just over three minutes helped bring it to a 10-point game. Lamaj Lewis bookeneded the run with a pair of layups for four of his seven points.
 
Despite the quick surge, the deficit never cut any closer than 10 as LMU's three ball just didn't fall. The Lions were held to 3-for-21 shooting from long distance. Without the three ball, the Lions outscored the Anteaters 38-30 in the paint.
 
Cam Shelton led the Lions with 18 pints, with Anderson and Leaupepe joining in double digits at 14 and 10 respectively.
 
The Lions will travel now to the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic to open the international tournament against Georgetown on Friday. That game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network. 

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