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LMU Women’s Basketball Rises to No. 22 in Mid-Major Top 25 as Historic Season Continues

BOSTON, MA - Loyola Marymount women's basketball has climbed to No. 22 in the CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top 25, announced February 24, marking another milestone in what has become one of the most memorable seasons in program history. The Lions entered the poll for the first time last week at No. 24 after spending multiple weeks receiving votes - recognition that began only after LMU's pivotal 55-51 win over Oregon State on Jan. 15, a victory that first placed the Lions on the national radar.

LMU and Gonzaga (ranked No. 17) stand as the only two West Coast Conference programs represented in the Mid-Major Top 25, reflecting the Lions' emergence as one of the league's top contenders throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

At 19-8 overall and 13-3 in WCC play, the Lions have matched the program record for most conference wins in a season, tying the mark first reached in 2003-04, with two games still remaining. LMU has also won seven straight conference games for the first time since the 2003-04 season and is now tied for the third-most wins in program history; the program records of 21 and 24 victories both remain within reach.

The season's defining moment came on Feb. 14, when LMU defeated Gonzaga 72-63 at Gersten Pavilion, snapping a 35-game losing streak to the Bulldogs and earning its first victory in the series since 2008. The win propelled the Lions into a share of first place in the WCC standings and validated the belief that this group had the potential to achieve something unprecedented.

This year's success reflects remarkable growth from last season, when LMU finished 14-16 overall and 7-13 in conference play. The Lions closed the 2024-25 season on a four-game winning streak, three to end conference play and one in the WCC Tournament, and carried that momentum forward. Despite battling multiple injuries through the first six weeks of the current campaign, LMU completed nonconference play at 6-5 before delivering its strongest WCC performance in more than two decades.

The Lions have also distinguished themselves statistically, ranking inside the nation's top 25 and first in the WCC in turnover margin at +5.74, a testament to the team's defensive identity, discipline, and pressure style of play.

Picked to finish ninth in the WCC preseason coaches poll, LMU has exceeded every external expectation, transforming into one of the conference's top performers and now a nationally ranked mid-major program. With two critical matchups remaining, Feb. 26 at San Francisco and Feb. 28 vs. Oregon State, the Lions have the opportunity to continue elevating their postseason profile and add to an already historic run.

LMU's rise into the Mid-Major Top 25 reflects not only the team's on-court achievements but also a season defined by resilience, growth, and a belief that the program's ceiling continues to climb.
 
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