LOS ANGELES—The LMU Lions fell short against the Gonzaga Bulldogs, 69-58, on Saturday afternoon. The Lions battled hard and kept the game close until the final minutes.

Naudia Evans shined with a standout performance, scoring 28 points on 10-22 shooting and recording her 300th career assist. Brandi Williams added nine critical points and grabbed four rebounds to support the team's effort.

The Lions got off to a strong start in the first quarter, outshooting the Bulldogs with a 41.7% field goal percentage compared to GON's 36.8%. Evans was electric, scoring 10 points and going a perfect 3-3 from the free-throw line. A late three-pointer by Ava Toone brought LMU within two, ending the quarter down 17-15.

GON opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run, but the Lions responded with a 7-0 surge of their own, narrowing the gap to three points. After a free throw by Williams, Evans capped off the quarter with a buzzer-beater jumper to tie the game 32-32, giving LMU momentum heading into halftime.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams nearly identical in shooting accuracy—LMU at 35.3% and GON at 37.5%. The Lions claimed their first lead since early in the game when Maya Hernandez sank two free throws to go up 40-38. While the Bulldogs regained the lead, Williams' buzzer-beater layup knotted the game at 48 heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, GON found its offensive rhythm, scoring 21 points and shooting over 50% from the field. The Lions put in a determined effort but struggled to keep pace, managing just 10 points in the quarter as GON pulled away for the win.

The Lions will look to bounce back in their next matchup against the San Diego Toreros on Monday, Jan. 20, at 2 PM in Gersten Pavilion.