Loyola Marymount built a 13-point second half lead and held on down the
stretch to defeat Cal State Fullerton, 75-68, at Gersten Pavilion on Saturday
night.
The Lions (4-3), who improved to 3-0 at home in 2002-03, had four players
in double figures, including sophomore Andy Osborn's team-high 15 points.
The Titans' Pape Sow led all players with 19 points and 10 rebounds despite
playing only seven minutes in the first half when he picked up three personal
fouls.
Fullerton (1-4) erased most of the Lions 13-point second half lead and
cut it to one, 65-64, when Bron Groomes completed a three-point play at
the 2:41 mark of the second half.
LMU's sophomore Charles Brown hit a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession
game with 1:49 remaining, 69-65. Freshman Brandon Worthy forced a steal
and the Lions burned 50 seconds off the clock with a key rebound by freshman
Wes Wardrop. After a foul, Brown hit a pair of free throws to make the
lead 71-65 with 55 seconds remaining.
After a Ralphy Holmes free throw, Osborn would hit two free throws to
make it a three-possession game at 73-66. Brown's steal with 18 seconds
remaining sealed the win as he hit two more free throws and Sow hit a
jumper with two seconds remaining for the final margin.
Brown finished with 12 points, Jason Dickens had 11 and Keith Kincade
had 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Groomes finished with 15
points for Fullerton.
Fullerton started the game by hitting its first nine shots to build a
nine-point lead at 18-9 the 14:52 mark of the first half when Groomes
hit a lay-up. But the Titans would go six minutes before another field
goal and the Lions would go on a 10-2 run to close within one on a pair
of free throws by Worthy.
"Cal State Fullerton really took it to us the first six minutes of
the game," said LMU Coach Steve Aggers. "We survived that blow
to the chin and showed great composure and played really hard the next
32 minutes."
LMU would take its first lead of the game on a pair of free throws by
Dickens with 5:04 remaining. The Lions would go on an 11-1 run to build
the nine-point halftime lead, 42-33.
Groomes led all scorers at the half with 10 points. Dickens had nine.
The game was decided at the foul line, where the Lions outscored the Titans
by 11. LMU made 27 of 39 attempts for 69 per cent while the Titans made
only 16 of 28 for 57 per cent.
The Titans return to Los Angeles on Wednesday to the Sports Arena to face
the USC Trojans for the first time.
