LOS ANGELES – LMU men's basketball knocked down a season-high 16 three-pointers Thursday night to turn a halftime tie game into a 92-65 win. The Lions outscored Portland by 27 in the second half after the defense allowed only 28 points from the Pilots after intermission.
 
Neither team held more than a five-point lead in the first half. Keli Leaupepe led the way for the Lions with the game's opening basket and finished with 10 of his 20 points in each period.
 
Justice Hill made his return after missing eight games due to injury and scored on LMU's final possession of the first half for his first two of five points in the game. Hill added three assists off the bench.
 
After Portland took their only lead of the second half, 43-42, LMU hit three consecutive threes to go ahead by eight. Alex Merkviladze hit two of his career-high six threes and Dominick Harris finished the run with one of his six threes.
 
The Pilots responded with the next six points before the Lions used a 14-0 run to increase the lead from two points to 65-49 with 10:59 to play. Merkviladze scored the first eight points of the run and Leaupepe closed it out with back-to-back threes of his own.
 
The Lions continued to apply the pressure in the second half and used a 17-3 run to jump ahead by 26 with 4:18 to play. Lars Thiemann hit three field goals in the run and Harris and Will Johnston hit threes on consecutive possessions to put a bow on it.
 
For the first time since Dec. 21, 2013, LMU had three players with at least 20 points in a game. Merkviladze finished with his career-high of 25 and grabbed 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Leaupepe and Harris added 20 points apiece. The last trio of Lions to hit 20 points each was Anthony Ireland, Evan Payne, and Alex Osbourne over a decade ago.
 
Justin Wright led the Lions with eight assists and tied for second on the team with seven rebounds, all well committing only one turnover. As a team, the Lions only committed seven turnovers which is the second fewest to the six giveaways against Tarleton State on Dec. 29.
 
Defensively, LMU forced 11 turnovers, led by a career-high steals from Merkviladze.
 
The Lions shot 53.7 percent (36-for-67) from the field and 47.1 percent (16-for-34) from deep.
 
LMU will be on the road Saturday night against Saint Mary's for the first of two nationally televised road games. The Lions and Gaels will square off on ESPNU, then LMU travels to Spokane for a Tuesday night game on ESPN against Gonzaga.
 
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