LOS ANGELES – LMU men's basketball turned a 16-point deficit into a one-point second half lead against the nation's #16-ranked team but could not pull out the win on Friday night. The Lions fell to Colorado State, 76-67, in the first home non-conference matchup against a ranked team since LMU defeated #23 Saint Louis in 2011.
 
Lamaj Lewis drove to the basket for the game's first points. The Lions missed the next nine consecutive field goals before Justin Wright hit a jumper to end a 14-1 Colorado State run. Lewis followed with his second layup to bring the score to 14-7 with 11:22 showing on the first half clock.
 
Will Johnston and Dominick Harris each hit threes to cut the deficit to single digits before the Lions used a 10-2 run to close the half. Johnston started the run with a three and Harris added a jumper for the first five. After CSU scored, Wright hit a pair of jumpers to bring the score to 35-27 at intermission.
 
The Lions started the second half with the first six points and a 17-to-8 first five minutes to take the lead back for the first time since 2-0.
 
Lewis opened the second half in the same way he did in the first with a layup at the rim. Lewis finished with a season-high six points. Johnston then completed a four-point play with his first of six threes in the second half and eight in the game.
 
Johnston and Leaupepe hit back-to-back threes just before the 15 minute mark to take a 44-43 lead.
 
Colorado State went on a 10-0 run from that point until another Johnston knocked down his sixth and seventh threes of the game.
 
Leaupepe hit a three with 7:49 on the clock to bring LMU back within four, but the Lions could not come any closer than that. Leaupepe went 5-for-6 in the second half with all 13 of his points coming after halftime.
 
Johnston hit his career-high eighth three in the closing seconds to finish with a game-high 27 points.
 
Wright joined his Australian teammates in double-digits and dished out three assists to share team-high honors with Johnston.
 
Rick Issanza grabbed game-highs with five rebounds and two early blocks.
 
The Lions will be off from games until returning to Gersten Pavilion next Friday to host Tarleton State on Dec. 29 to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule.
 
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