PORTLAND, Ore. – All five LMU starters hit double-digits in the 86-76 loss on Saturday night to Portland. The Pilots benefitted from 70 percent shooting from three resulting in 13 made triples.
 
Keli Leaupepe opened the game with a step back fadeaway to give LMU their only lead of the first half, before Portland started 8-for-9 from three and 13-for-16 from the field to help build up a 20-point lead by the 8:39 mark.
 
Back-to-back threes by Alex Merkviladze helped stop Portland's 26-7 extended run over the previous eight-plus minutes.
 
LMU first cut it to single digits as Cam Shelton and Leaupepe hit back-to-back threes, and Eli Scott followed with a second-chance layup under the rim with 3:09 remaining in the opening period.
 
A 6-0 run helped LMU cut the deficit to two possessions as Joe Quintana converted a four-point play to bring the score to 43-37 with 1:52 on the clock.
 
Shelton joined Merkviladze with 10 first half points as his driving layup closed out the opening 20 minutes. The Lions entered the locker room trailing 47-39.
 
Merkviladze opened the second half with an and-1 to bring the Lions within five points just 13 seconds into the second half . Portland promptly answered with a three on the other end of the court.
 
LMU would not get any closer, despite Eli Scott scoring 16 of his team-high 23 in the second half.
 
Portland shot 61 percent (28-for-46) for the game to go along with the 70 percent clip from long distance. LMU made nine threes on 21 attempts, with four of the five starters outside of Scott each knocking down a pair.
 
Shelton finished with 15 points and Merkviladze added 13. Both Leaupepe and Quintana scored 10 points.
 
Tyler Robertson led the Pilots with a triple-double night including finishing perfect 5-for-5 from three and 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
 
LMU will be back at home on Thursday night to host Santa Clara in the Student Appreciation Day game, officially sponsored by University Credit Union. The game will tip at 7:00 PM from Gersten Pavilion.