SAN DIEGO, Calif. – LMU men's basketball has done something that the program hasn't seen since 1991, winning five consecutive West Coast Conference games. This year's Lions accomplished the feat after erasing an 11-point deficit and winning by 16, 78-62.
 
After San Diego opened the game with a layup, Jevon Porter responded with a layup of his own and Rick Issanza put the Lions ahead with a dunk.
 
The Toreros retook the lead by three before Jan Vide and Porter hit back-to-back layups to push the Lions back ahead by a point. San Diego then rattled off the next 11 points to take an 18-8 lead at the 12:18 mark of the first half.

Alex Merkviladze hit a three to put an end to the run and spark a 7-0 LMU response.
 
San Diego rebuilt their double-digit lead and led by 11 with just over five minutes to play before the half.
 
Again, Merkviladze hit a three to start a run and the Lions closed the half with 11 unanswered points. Myron Amey, Jr. hit a three to pull the Lions within a possession and Porter hit a shot with 1.8 on the clock to tie the game at 35-all heading into intermission.
 
The second half opened with LMU scoring the first seven points and 23 of the first 28 points over the opening nine minutes. Calen Stone-Carrawell hit a pair of jumpers, Aaron McBride soared in for a dunk, Amey hit his third and fourth threes of the game, and Merkviladze converted an and-1.
 
In total, the Lions used a 34-5 run that last over 14 minutes to completely shift the direction of the game and flip a double-digit deficit into a double-digit lead.
 
Even after San Diego cut it back down to 11, the Lions never allowed the home team to pull back within single digits. The lead grew to as large as 19 for LMU with nine of LMU's final 11 points coming from the free throw line.
 
Amey led all scorers with 16 points after going 4-for-6 from long range.

Porter recorded his second double-double in a row, and seventh of the season, with a 14 and 12 game. Merkviladze also scored 14, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists.
 
Stone-Carrawell finished in double-figures with 11 and Vide added nine points and four rebounds.
 
The Lions blocked seven shots for the second-consecutive game, highlighted by Issanza matching his career-high mark set on Thursday night with four more blocks. LMU also recorded 11 steals in back-to-back games.
 
LMU held San Diego to 27.5 percent (19-for-69) shooting in the game and 20 percent (7-for-35) in the second half. The 19 field goals made is a low for any opponent this year. The Toreros also hit only 2-of-18 threes, also a low mark in both total and percentage (.111) by the LMU defense against any team this season.
 
The Lions hit 23 free throws to match the season-high mark from the first meeting with the Toreros.
 
LMU's five game win streak is the longest in conference play since the 1991 team won nine consecutives. The Lions will look to add to that total with Thursday's trip to Gonzaga.
 
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