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PORTLAND, Ore. --- Sophomores Ryan Nicholas and Tanner Riley each scored 13 points for Portland, but the Loyola Marymount Lions shot 58 percent from the field in the second half en route to a 76-62 win on Thursday before 2, 067 fans at the Chiles Center.
Freshman Kevin Bailey and sophomore Tim Douglas added 11 points apiece for the Pilots (6-19, 3-9 WCC).
The Lions (16-9, 9-3) moved into sole possession of third place in the West Coast Conference standings with the win. LMU had five players score in double figures, led by senior Drew Viney with 16 points. The Lions, who scored 60 second half points in a comeback win on Saturday against San Francisco, lit it up again in the second half on Thursday by finishing the period 6-of-9 on three-pointers and outscoring the Pilots, 47-37.
In the previous meeting between the two teams, the Lions escaped with a 62-59 win in Los Angeles. Rebounding was the difference then as LMU held a 34-26 margin on the boards and 15-6 edge in second chance points. The theme continued on Thursday as the Lions outrebounded the Pilots 33-23 and held a 14-2 margin in second chance points.
The Pilots shot 43 percent from the field for the game, made 7-of-22 three-pointers and 9-of-11 free throws. LMU finished the game at 51 percent from the floor, made 10-of-19 threes and 16-of-24 free throws.
The Lions jumped out to an early 21-7 lead after drilling four early three-pointers, but the Pilots were able to bring the deficit back to single digits. Portland junior Derrick Rodgers hit a half court buzzer beater to bring the Pilots within four at 29-25 at intermission.
Back-to-back three-pointers by LMU’s C.J. Blackwell gave the Lions at 47-36 lead with 14:00 remaining, but the Pilots would cut the margin to five at 60-55 on a three by Riley with 6:08 left. That would be as close as Portland would get as LMU extended the lead with free throws in the closing minutes.
Portland will get the weekend off before embarking on a Southern California road trip next week. The Pilots will be at San Diego on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (CSN Northwest), before visiting Pepperdine on Saturday at 7 p.m. (FSN Prime Ticket live, tape-delayed at 10:30 p.m. on CSN Northwest). Both games will be broadcast on True Talk 800 AM (KPDQ).
