LOS ANGELES – Will Johnston erupted for 22 points in the first half and finished with a career-high 33 on Thursday night to keep the game tight against Gonzaga. The Lions and Zags were in a 1-point game with less than eight minutes remaining, in a game that featured eight lead changes, before the Bulldogs pulled away to win, 91-74.
 
The Lions fell behind by six points early before a 7-1 run tied the game at 9-all with 16:52 on the clock. Johnston hit a three then Hill followed with a coast-to-coast layup. Gonzaga hit one of two free throws which allowed LMU to tie the game for the first time on a Johnston jumper.
 
Back-to-back threes from Will Johnston and Justice Hill gave the Lions their first lead of the game, 17-14, with 13:25 to play in the opening half. The Zags answered with a 12-3 run of their own with a Hill three being the only points for the Lions.
 
Gonzaga pushed ahead by nine in the first half before LMU fought all the way back to take a lead with 1:26 remaining. The final push was an 8-0 run started by Will Johnston scoring the first five and Justin Wright knocking down a corner three to take a 44-43 lead.
 
Johnston continued his hot play by beating the halftime buzzer with a pull-up jumper to bring the Lions within one at intermission, 47-46.
 
Michael Graham gave the Lions a pair of one-point leads on LMU's first two baskets after intermission and finished the game with his most points as a Lion, with eight. Gonzaga responded with a 13-0 run to go up a dozen with less than 15 minutes to play and again at the 13:01 mark.
 
LMU went on a 17-6 run over the next 4:40 to pull back within a point, 72-71. The first stretch of that run included a Hill layup, followed by a Johnston three, and ending with an exclamation point dunk by Lars Thiemann. Johnston then hit his sixth and seventh three of the game to bring the Lions back within a point, 72-71, with 8:21 remaining.
 
Gonzaga closed the game on a 19-3 run, including the next 15 unanswered after Johnston's 33^rd point. Justin Wright hit a layup for his 13^th point and LMU's only field goal down the stretch.
 
The Lions only played six players until the final minute of the game as the team continues to battle through injury issues.
 
Those six healthy bodies shot 52.8 percent (28-for-53) for the game and 55.0 percent (11-for-20) from three.
 
Gersten Pavilion will also be the site of Saturday night's game against San Francisco and will feature a special recognition of the 2024 LMU Athletics Hall of Fame class.
 
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