March 6, 2010

Postgame Press Conference audio from Podcast Center.
Audio highlights from Podcast Center.

Box Score |  Quotes |  Photo Gallery 1  |  Photo Gallery 2 

Las Vegas, Nev. - LMU's run through the 2010 Zappos.com West Coast Conference Championships was halted Saturday afternoon by a hot-shooting Pepperdine team, 60-51 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Sophomore Alex Cowling led all scorers with 22 points to set the school's single-season scoring mark while senior Lisa Helmers knocked down four three-pointers for 12 points in breaking the career three-point record. The Lions conclude the season with a 13-17 record in dropping their third straight this season to the Waves (19-10).

There was an L.A. feel at the Orleans Arena as the local rivals squared off in the WCC Tournament for the first time since 2007. After splitting their first two postseason meetings, LMU couldn't slow down Pepperdine from long-range as the Waves hit nine three-pointers and used a 31-6 run bridging halftime to pull away. LMU rallied in the second half but ultimately the deficit was too large to overcome.

"We really got into a dry spell for about eight to nine minutes that just absolutely paralyzed us," Head Coach Julie Wilhoit said. "We made some shifts and I appreciate the effort and the hard work that our team put together to fight back and climb their way back into it. But you just can't show up at a tournament and go stagnant like that. Again, I loved the fight we had in the last eight to 10 minutes of the game, but it was a little too late."

As she has all season, Cowling led LMU with her 12th 20-point performance of the season while adding nine rebounds. She concludes an outstanding, record-breaking sophomore season holding the single-season school marks for points (526) and field goals made (202) while setting the mark for scoring average by a sophomore (17.53). In fact, her scoring average was 0.7 away from the best all-time at LMU and she also becomes the second Lion to ever shoot over 50% for two consecutive seasons. In addition, her 927 points over her first two seasons are more than halfway to Bryn Britton's career record of 1,662 and her 15.5 ppg career scoring average is second all-time.

After a year-long quest for Amanda Patton's career mark of 154 three-pointers, Helmers went on a second-half tear to break the record with 42.9 seconds remaining and then added another at the buzzer for good measure. Unfortunately, no other Lion reached double figures as junior Renahy Young had eight points and senior Jenna Sybesma closed out her career with six. Young jumped two spots on the single-season scoring list, finishing the year 448 points, surpassing her output from last season to put her in fifth.

LMU shot 36.5% (19-for-52) overall and 38.9% (7-for-18) from three-point range, including 5-of-7 in the second half as it mounted a comeback. The Lions went 6-for-8 (75%) at the line but couldn't neutralize Pepperdine's size and speed as the Waves force 15 LMU turnovers and held a 35-31 rebounding edge, aided by a 16-2 advantage on second-chance points.

Lauren Bell led the Waves with 17 points while Miranda Ayim added 13 points and nine rebounds and Katie Menton chipped in 12 points. Pepperdine shot 41.5% (22-for-53) for the contest, 40.9% (9-for-22) from long-range and 7-of-10 at the line.

After combining for 43 of LMU's 61 points in Friday's win over San Francisco, the trio of Cowling, Young, and Sybesma picked up where they left off, scoring all of the team's 20 first half points. The three got going early, scoring 16 points to open up a 16-11 LMU advantage. The Waves countered through Jazmine Jackson, who hit four of her first five shots and had half of Pepperdine's first 16, tying it up with 8:17 to play on a bank in the lane.

Cowling continued her hot start with a pair of long jumpers to get into double figures but Pepperdine started to use the three-ball to pull away. Bell and Shay Cooney-Williams went deep on consecutive possessions as part of a 17-2 run that helped open up a 35-20 halftime advantage, capped by back-to-back triples from Skye Barnett and Menton.

On the other end, LMU was cold, going more than four minutes without a point on two separate occasions. The Lions misfired on their last eight shots of the half and did not score for the final 5:25.

Second-chance points, which Pepperdine dominated 9-0 in the first half thanks to seven offensive rebounds, spurred the Waves at the outset of the second as their first three baskets all came off of o-boards. A 14-4 start to the second half increased Pepperdine's lead to 25, 49-24, to conclude a 31-6 run over 13:13 bridging the two halves.

It wasn't until sophomore Candice Nichols stepped back for a three with 9:43 to play that anyone besides Cowling, Young, or Sybesma got on the scoresheet. But that seemed enough to get the team fired up and the Big Three followed to help LMU make a 12-0 push to get back within 49-36 with 7:49 left.

In the end, the Waves' hot shooting was too much as Bell and Menton halted LMU's run with back-to-back threes. The result mostly decided, the Lions turned their attention to helping Helmers break Patton's record. After going scoreless in the first half, her second three of the game, with 2:02 left, tied the record at 154. The Lions kept running plays for Helmers and she rolled off a screen at the top of the key to hit a straight-away for the record with 42.9 seconds left. For good measure, she added her 156th at the buzzer.

- GO LIONS -