Loyola Marymount hands Saint Mary's rare home defeat
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Drew Viney dropped in a team-high 17 points 60 decision.
Jarred DuBois finished with 15 points and Ashley Hamilton contributed 11 for Loyola Marymount (17-10, 10-4 WCC), which halted an 11-game losing streak to Saint Mary's.
"We won this game defensively," said LMU head coach Max Good. "We did a great job on their guards, and really kept fighting the entire night. And it was another team win for us. They played very well as a group tonight. The entire team contributed to this win."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rob Jones recorded his 16th double-double of the season with 25 points and 15 rebounds for the Gaels (23-4, 12-2), who had their 16-game home win streak snapped. Saint Mary's had not lost a game at McKeon Pavilion since dropping a 71-70 decision to Kent State on March 15, 2011.
Ireland opened the game with a three-pointer, sparking a 9-2 run to give Loyola Marymount the early lead.
The Gaels battled back with an 11-2 spurt to take a two-point advantage, but the Lions responded with a 19-7 run to take a double-digit lead, 30-20, with less than six minute remaining in the first half.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Saint Mary's, though, closed out the half scoring nine of the last 13 points and trailed by a mark of 34-29 at the break.
A pair of Matthew Dellavedova jumpers followed by a Jones layup put the Gaels on top, 35-34, a little over two minutes into the second half.
But that would be the last time Saint Mary's would be on top, as the Lions responded with an 18-7 run to retake their double-digit lead, 52-42, just past the midpoint of the second half.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Gaels would not get any closer than five for the remainder of the game as the Lions' defense, which forced 14 Saint Mary's turnovers in the contest, never let the Gaels put an extended run together.
Game Notes
Loyola Marymount improved to 4-4 in its last eight games against ranked opponents...Dellavedova had 10 points, six assists and five rebounds for Saint Mary's, leaving him one assist shy of becoming the school's all-time leader...The Gaels held a 41-32 rebounding advantage.