Box Score I Photos I Video Highlights

PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Portland Pilots and Loyola Marymount Lions needed two extra periods to determine Thursday night’s West Coast Conference matchup on ESPN2. Portland escaped with a 79-78 victory before a vocal crowd of 1,979 that were biting fingernails from start-to-finish. Senior forward Luke Sikma led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Pilots.

Sikma scored six points in the second overtime and the Pilots made 7-of-10 free throws in the period to jump out to a five point lead. Junior Drew Viney would bank in a three-pointer with 19 seconds left to cut the deficit to 76-75 and Pilot freshman Tim Douglas made one of two free throws to give the Pilots a two point lead. Viney again got a good look at a corner three with seven seconds on the clock, but missed long and Jared Stohl buried two free throws with five seconds remaining to make it a two possession game. LMU freshman Anthony Ireland hit a three at the buzzer for the final margin.

Portland (13-4, 1-1 WCC) appeared to have the game in hand late in regulation with a seven point lead and 2:56 remaining. The Pilots committed some key turnovers late that allowed the Lions (8-9, 1-2) a chance to win. Up five with the ball and 52 seconds remaining, the Pilots fumbled the ball out of bounds and Ireland made two free throws to cut the deficit to three. Another Portland giveaway led to two more free throws by Vernon Teel with 34 seconds left.

The Pilots missed the front end of a one-and-one and after Sikma block Teel’s layup out of bounds with six ticks remaining, the Lions called timeout. Viney came off of a screen and buried a corner three-pointer to put LMU up 60-58 with three seconds remaining. Sikma quickly grabbed the ball and launched a pass to Jared Stohl at the top of the key. Stohl took one dribble and was steamrolled as he attempted a 17-footer with two ticks on the clock. He buried both free throws and Ireland’s desperation half court heave was off to send the game to overtime.

Ireland hit a clutch pull-up three-pointer with 47 seconds left in the first OT to give LMU a 65-64 lead, but Sikma answered with a turnaround jumper at the other end with 27 seconds remaining. Redshirt freshman Edgar Garibay made one-of-two free throws with 19 seconds left to tie the score and Douglas missed a runner just before the buzzer to send it to the second OT.

In addition to his seventh double-double of the season, Sikma dished out four assists along with two steals and two blocked shots. Senior center Kramer Knutson added 12 points and nine rebounds, while Stohl and Nemanja Mitrovic chipped in 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Viney scored a team-high 24 for the Lions, who were held to 37 percent shooting for the game, including 7-of-32 in the second half. Portland struggled to 41 percent shooting for the game.

The Lions led by as much as nine points late in the first period before the Pilots mounted a surge and cut the margin to 30-26 at the half. Portland blitzed LMU early in the second half and led by as much as 10 points at the 10:58 mark.

Portland improved to 9-0 this season at the Chiles Center and will look to make it 10 when they host the Pepperdine Waves on Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Pilot Box Office 90 minutes prior to tip-off.