Senior guard Darren Cooper scores a game-high 19 points for the Pilots

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --- Loyola Marymount returned the favor of an earlier drubbing at the hands of the Portland Pilots, running to a 74-59 victory Saturday evening at Gersten Pavilion. Senior guard Darren Cooper led all scorers with 19 points for the Pilots (6-18, 2-6 West Coast Conference), while Adoyah Miller and Jon Ziri led the Lions (10-14, 2-6) with 17 points each.

It was a carbon copy of the first game between the two schools earlier this season, but the team’s switched roles on this night. Portland defeated the Lions 81-65 at the Chiles Center on Jan. 8 after running to a 41-18 halftime advantage. LMU took the lesson to heart and jumped out to a commanding lead early and turned a 40-23 halftime lead into their second conference victory.

The Lions shot 64 percent from the field in the half, including 6-for-10 from the three-point line. Portland managed just 36 percent in the period. LMU senior guard John Montgomery’s shot clock-beating, off balance three-pointer with 4:09 left in the half gave the Lions their largest lead of the night at 36-16.

The Pilots chipped away at the deficit throughout the second half and cut the margin to 54-44 on a three-pointer by Cooper with 7:15 remaining, but the Lions answered with a three by Adoyah Miller, his fifth of the game, and a putback by Derick Grubb.

Portland senior center Ben Sullivan scored 15 points off the bench in 26 minutes, joining Cooper in double figures.

LMU seniors Matthew Knight and John Montgomery added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Portland shot 41 percent from the field and made just 4-of-16 three-pointers. LMU shot 47 percent for the game and drilled 8-of-16 three-point attempts. The Lions gained a 22-5 edge in points off turnovers, forcing 18 while giving up just 10. 

Portland concludes its Southern California road trip on Monday against the Pepperdine Waves in Malibu. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Firestone Fieldhouse. The game can be heard live on KKAD 1550 AM, or on the web at portlandpilots.com.