MORAGA, Calif. – LMU men's basketball stayed within two possessions at halftime before Saint Mary's pulled away in the second half for the 81-56 win.
 
Alex Merkviladze tied the game at 5-5 with his three-pointer early in the game. The two teams then traded off free throws as Aaron McBride knocked down a pair to tie the game at 7-apiece with 13:24 on the clock.
 
Will Johnston scored his 1,000^th Division I point to end a 12-2 run by the Gaels which push edthe home team ahead by double-digits. The Lions then used a 7-0 run of their own to bring the score back to three, 21-18. Caleb Stone-Carrawell started the run, Jevon Porter followed with a three, and Merkviladze added a layup to cap it.
 
Jan Vide scored back-to-back layups less than a minute apart from one another to bring the score to 24-22 and pull the Lions back within two with 3:26 remaining in the half. Vide scored nine points and led the team with five rebounds and two assists.
 
Saint Mary's closed the half with six of the final eight points, with Stone-Carrwell's jumper accounting for LMU's final points of the half. The Gaels carried a 30-24 lead into intermission.
 
Coming out of the locker room, the home team scored the first eight points to build their lead back up to double-figures.
 
Stone-Carrawell and Myron Amey, Jr. hit back-to-back threes to pull the Lions just under 14 minutes to play. Stone-Carrawell finished with a team-high 16 points, scoring eight in each half. Amey scored all nine of his points in the second half.
 
After a pair of free throws by the Gaels to go back up 11, Aaron McBride cut the deficit back to single digits for the final time with 13:11 showing on the clock.
 
Saint Mary's expanded their lead the rest of the way before ultimately closing out the game with a 25-point win.
 
The Gaels did much of their damage on the offensive glass, with 16 offensive rebounds leading to 20 second chance points. Saint Mary's also went 25-for-28 from the free throw line compared to the 9-for-13 totals for the Lions.

LMU outscored SMC in the paint, 28-24.
 
The PCH Cup will resume on Saturday evening in Malibu as LMU takes on Pepperdine on the road. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7:00 PM from Firestone Fieldhouse.
 
Mobile Ticket Information & Entry Procedures:
To provide an efficient and safe experience for our fans; we utilize mobile ticketing delivery through the AXS app. Mobile ticketing allows fans to enter LMU athletic venues via their mobile app instead of a physical, paper ticket. Make sure to have your ticket available on your phone upon arrival to ensure the quickest entry process. For assistance, please call 310-338-LION (5466).

Donate Today:
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Lions Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift will help provide a transformational student-athlete experience athletically, academically, and culturally for every LMU student-athlete. We appreciate your continued support of LMU Athletics. 
 
Follow Along With The Action:
For complete coverage of Loyola Marymount University athletics, visit LMULions.com. We encourage you to follow along with all the action on social media as well. Follow along by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram