BRIEFLY… Alex Merkviladze enters his fourth season at LMU in 2024-25 after transferring from Cal State Northridge ahead of the 2021-22 season… Named to the All-WCC Honorable Mention Team in 2023-24.
IN 2024-25 • GRADUATE… Team Captain… Played and started in all 32 games… Led the team and ranked 10
th in the West Coast Conference in minutes played with 1023 and an average of 32.0 minutes per game… Scored 10.3 points per game with 328 points scored… Second on the team and 13
th in the WCC with 6.4 rebounds per game… Second in the conference with 5.7 defensive rebounds per game… Third on the team with 2.0 assists per game… Totaled 17 steals and 11 blocks… Shot 40.1 percent (112-for-279) from the field and 33.6 percent (48-for-143) from three… Led the team in scoring in seven games… Led the team in rebounding in 14 games… Scored in double digits 14 times, with three games over 20 points… Scored a season-high 24 points in the win over Southern University (12/20/24) on 7-for-11 shooting and 6-for-7 from three… Opened the season with 22 points against LIFE Pacific (11/4/24)… Scored 21 points in the win over Pepperdine (2/22/25) with four made threes… Recorded double-doubles at Saint Louis (11/16/24) with 13 points and 12 rebounds, against North Alabama (12/22/24) with 10 points and 12 rebounds, and against San Francsico with 14 points and 11 rebounds… Surpassed 1,000 points with the program and ranks 36
th all-time with 1,041 career points in an LMU jersey… Ranks 16
th all-time in program history with 628 rebounds grabbed as a Lion… Named to the WCC All-Academic Team.
IN 2023-24 • SENIOR… Team Captain… Played and started in 30 of 31 games… Scored the most points on the team with 364 and ranked second on the team and 19
th in the West Coast Conference at 12.1 points per game.. Second on the team with 123 field goals made and third on the team with 51 made threes… Grabbed the most rebounds on the team, and ranked sixth in the WCC, with 215 total and led the Lions with 7.2 rebounds per game… Fourth on the team with 44 rebounds and 1.5 rebounds per game… Ranked third in the WCC and 76
th nationally with 5.90 offensive rebounds per game… Second on the team with 17 steals (0.6 spg)… Fourth on the team with nine blocks (0.3 bpg)… Shot 41.0 percent from the field, 35.2 percent from three, and 74.4 percent from the free throw line… Led the Lions with 930 minutes played and the only player to average over 30.0 minutes per game… Scored in double-digits in 19 of 30 games… Recorded four-consecutive double-doubles with 24 points and 12 rebounds against San Francisco (2/17/24), 14 points and 13 rebounds at Santa Clara (2/22/24), 23 points and 12 rebounds at Pacific (2/24/24), and 17 points and 10 rebounds against San Diego (2/29/24)… Scored a career-high 25 points against Portland (1/25/24) with nine field goals and six threes… Scored over 20 points against in four total games… Dished out seven assists in the regular-season finale at Portland (3/2/24)… Named to the All-WCC Honorable Mention Team.
IN 2022-23 • JUNIOR… Played in 28 of 31 games, making eight starts… Played 21.1 minutes per game… Fourth on the team at 7.1 points per game, tied for third on the team at 1.1 assists per game, and fifth on the team at 4.0 rebounds per game… Scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed a season-high eight rebounds against UC Riverside (11/10/22)… Scored in double-digits in eight games including three games in a row in conference against Pacific (12/31/22), BYU (1/5/23), and San Francisco (1/7/23)… Hit six field goals and scored 15 points in LMU’s win over No. 15 Saint Mary’s (2/9/23).
IN 2021-22 • SOPHOMORE… Played in all 29 games, including starting each of the final 10 games of the season… Averaged 20.4 minutes per game… Scored 5.2 points per game and grabbed 3.3 rebounds per game… Scored in double-digits in five of the final games to end the regular season… Scored a season-high 15 points at BYU (2/24/22)… Nearly posted a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds in the win over Pacific (2/26/22)… Made a season-best six field goals for 14 points against NCAA Tournament team Saint Mary’s (2/5/22).
BEFORE LMU…
CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE
IN 2020-21 • FRESHMAN
Merkviladze played in all 22 games, making 18 starts ... Averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game ... Ranked fifth in the Big West in rebounding average and third in defensive rebounds per game (5.7) ... Shot 43.9 percent from the field ... Made the second-most 3-pointers on the team with 29 ... Finished the year with a 38.2 3-point percentage ... Dished out the third-most assists on the team with 22 ... Averaged 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in Big West play ... Scored in double figures eight times while he grabbed 10 or more rebounds six times ... Recorded three double-doubles ... Posted a double-double in his first career game with 20 points and 12 rebounds vs. Westmont (11/25/20) ... Finished with 16 points and seven rebounds vs. UC Davis (2/6/21) ... Grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds against Hawai'i (2/19/21) ... Scored a season-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting at CSU Bakersfield (2/27/21) ... Recorded back-to-back doubles against UC Riverside, first posting 17 points and 13 rebounds then 13 points and 13 rebounds (3/5/21 - 3/6/21).
MODESTO CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Spent four seasons on the basketball team and helped the Crusaders win league titles each season ... Earned first-team all-league and all-city honors in his senior season ... Won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs and advanced to the regional semifinals of the CIF State Open Division championship in 2018 ... His team would finish as finalists in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division I tournament and regional finalists at the CIF State Open Division championship in 2019 ... Competed on the national team for his native Georgia.
PERSONAL
Merkviladze was born in Kutaisi, Georgia… Favorites include the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, Jennifer Lopez, "Grey's Anatomy," "American Idol," "Meet Joe Black," "Ride Along," "21 Jump Street," "22 Jump Street," "The Upside," The Beatles, Aerosmith, Polo G, Gunna, Travis Scott, Post Malone, Ali Gatie, Whitney Houston and John Legend... Lists finishing third place at the European Championship as his greatest sports moment ... Says his parents are his greatest heroes.
