Jan. 12, 2004

Final Stats

Los Angeles, CA (Jan. 12) - Trailing by 17 in the first half, the Loyola Marymount University men's basketball team mounted a 25-8 rally but could not hold it as they fall to Portland University, 77-68 in West Coast Conference action on Monday night at Gersten Pavilion.

Senior Sherman Gay led all scorers with 26 points, six rebounds and four blocks for the Lions (8-6/0-2). Senior Keith Kincade and junior Charles Brown added 13 points. The Pilots (7-8/1-1) were led by Eugene Jeter with 23 points, going 5-for-6 from the three-point line. Donald Wilson added 19 and Casey Frandsen had 11.

Portland (7-8/1-1) jumped out to a 39-22 lead in the first half thanks to 10 points by Jeter and a jumper by Frandsen with 1:43 remaining in the half. The Lions would then go on a 11-0 run going into the second half to cut the lead 39-33 with 17:13 left on a jump-hook by sophomore Chris Ayer.

The Pilots would build the lead back to 10 on a three-pointer by Jeter. LMU would go on another 10-0 run to tie the game at 47-47 on a three-point play by Brown to erase the lead. After Wilson gave the Pilots' back the lead at 49-47, LMU answered once again.

LMU would tie the game on two free throws by Kincade and then take their first lead on another pair of free throws by Gay. Jeter then took over with a three-point to give Portland a 54-53 lead. Gay's dunk would give LMU a 53-52 lead with 9:12 remaining.

Following a Dustin Geddis lay-up, Jeter's three with 8:25 remaining gave the Pilots the cushion they needed as they held on the rest of the way.

LMU finished the game shooting just 37 percent while Portland hit 50 percent in the second half and 44 percent for the game.

The game was a make-up date due to the storms in Portland, pushing the contest from Jan. 8 to Monday. The Lions will continue its four games in eight-day stretch when they travel to San Diego on Jan. 15.