LOS ANGELES – The LMU men's basketball team outscored USC in the second half after a slow offensive showing in the first half. The Lions trailed by 19 in the second half before pulling within four with just under five minutes to play. USC took the exhibition game, 60-51.
 
USC led 16-2 before Jalen Shelley flew in for a tip dunk for LMU's first field goal at the 10:28 mark to stop a 15-0 Trojan run.

Rodney Brown Jr. hit the game's first three to cut LMU's deficit to 11 with 8:21 to play in the opening half.
 
The first half shooting struggles put the lions in a 29-13 halftime deficit after LMU shot 10.3 percent (3-for-29) from the field. Tanner Thomas hit the other field goal for the home side in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The two captains hit shots to start the second half as Jan Vide scored on a goaltending call and Myron Amey Jr. followed with a three less than three minutes into play. Vide followed with a runner in the lane as well before the under 16 media timeout as part of his 11 points.
 
Jael Martin scored his first basket wearing an LMU uniform after redshirting in the 2024-25 season. His offensive rebound putback capped a 7-0 run for the Lions.
 
Freshman AJ Thomas scored the last five points of an 8-0 run to turn a 19-point second half deficit into just six with 12:28 to play.
 
Brown hit a three and Shelley followed with a driving layup to bring the Lions within four points for the first time the first four minutes of the game. Brown made his fourth three of the game with 42.3 seconds left in the game to finish with a team-high 16 points.
 
Rick Issanza grabbed eight rebounds to share game-high honors, while freshman Josh Dalton added six boards.
 
The Lions open the regular season with three home games the first week of November. LMU hosts Lincoln on Nov. 3, welcomes Eastern Washington on Nov. 8 and closes out the opening week of play on Nov. 8 against Arkansas Pine Bluff.
 
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