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Nov. 22, 2009

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In the final of three straight games against teams from the Big West Conference, sophomore Alex Cowling had 17 points points to lead LMU to a 65-40 victory at UC Santa Barbara in a non-conference game Sunday afternoon at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Lions (2-2) just missed out on their largest-ever margin of victory against the Gauchos (0-3) while holding UCSB to its lowest point total in the teams' 15 all-time meetings.

Cowling set the tone early, scoring LMU's first eight points and finishing 7-for-11 from the floor. She added a team-high five rebounds. Junior Renahy Young registered her fourth straight double-digit outing, adding 11 points and three assists. Seniors Jenna Sybesma and Kavita Goss both came off the bench for eight points, with Goss also pulling down five boards. Sophomore Candice Nichols chipped in seven points.

After committing a season-high 27 turnovers in a loss on Friday, the Lions took care of the ball against the Gauchos, reducing that number to nine, with only two coming in the second half. The Lions were also better from three-point range. Coming off a 2-for-18 performance Friday, LMU combined to shoot 7-for-17 (41.2%) from long-range on Sunday en route to a season-high 47.1% (24-for-51) overall. The Lions were also solid at the line, hitting 10-of-11 (90.9%)

Emilie Johnson led UCSB with 10 points, with Chris Spencer adding nine points and a game-high eight rebounds. The Lion defense was all over the Gauchos, holding them under 30% shooting (17-for-57 - 29.8%), including 3-for-12 (25%) from three-point range. The Gauchos committed 16 turnovers and held a 37-33 rebounding edge.

The first two minutes were all about Cowling, who sank her first four shots and scored LMU's first eight points on a variety of post moves and a long jumper. Young then got in on the act with a pair of buckets and Cowling went to her right with a jumper off the glass to give the Lions a 14-4 lead with 13:20 to play in the first. The Lions' duo combined on 14 of the team's first 15 points while the LMU defense was harassing the Gauchos into a 3-for-17 start.

The Lions led 20-8 when UCSB started pulling back, mounting a 7-0 run. But LMU turned again to its big guns, with Cowling knocking down two free throws and Young hitting a long straightaway three as the shot clock expired to restore the 10-point advantage. Still, it was Cowling and Young who were carrying the day, combining on 21 of LMU's 29 first-half points as the visitors headed into the locker room with a 29-20 advantage.

Cowling stayed hot coming out of the break, scoring five of LMU's first seven points. With the Gauchos keying on Cowling inside, that opened the door for LMU's shooters, who were sure not to repeat Friday's 2-for-18 performance from long range. Nichols, Goss, and Helmers hit successive threes as part of a 9-0 run to balloon a 36-26 lead to 45-26 with 12:15 left.

Now that the threes were dropping, the Lions went back inside. Sybesma had six of the next eight points and junior Aleyse Evans put the Lion lead up above 20, 55-34, with a strong move in the lane with 7:28 to go. The Lion lead would get to as many as 29 and UCSB would get no closer than 21 the rest of the way.

LMU returns home to defend the title at its Thanksgiving tournament this Friday and Saturday. The Lions will welcome Saint Louis in the opening game of the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Westside Thanksgiving Classic on Friday at 1 p.m., with South Florida and Montana playing in game two at 3 p.m. The Consolation Game will be Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the Championship Game.

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