March 5, 2006

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Spokane, WA (March 5) - It was 17 years to the day since the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team last made noise in the West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. There must be something about the day as they repeated history under first year Head Coach Rodney Tention.

For the first time since March 5, 1989, the Lions, who improve to 12-17 on the year, advance to the championship game of the WCC tournament thanks to 66-63 win over Saint Mary's College in the second semifinal of the 2006 WCC Men's Basketball Championship in Spokane, Wash., on Sunday.

With the win, LMU advances to the championship game against No. 5 Gonzaga on Monday night at 6:00 p.m. The game will be live on ESPN and the Lions can once again repeat history. LMU is 2-0 in the championship game, last winning the conference tournament in 1988 and in that 1989 season. Their last tournament title came 17 years to the day on March 6.

The Lions big three of first-team All-WCC performers Brandon Worthy (19), Wes Wardrop (13) and Matthew Knight (16) combined to score 48 of the Lions 66 to avenge the 82-70 setback the Lions suffered to the Gaels to end the regular season. In addition to the big three's contribution, senior John Haywood had the best game of the season with 10 points, all the second half, and seven boards off the bench.

Knight added 15 rebounds, tied for the third highest rebound total in a WCC tournament game with Sherman Gay (2003), as the Lions dominated the Gaels on the glass 45-29. In addition, with a free throw with 12 seconds remaining, Worthy reached 1,000 points in his career at LMU. Brett Collins came off the bench to score 14 points to lead Saint Mary's, who falls to 17-12 on the season.

The Lions never trailed and Saint Mary's managed to tie it only once at 17-17. The Lions led by as many as 10 in the first half and took a nine-point, 33-24 lead into half. LMU held Saint Mary's to just 29.6 percent in the first frame to jump out to the double-digit lead.

After Saint Mary's cut the lead to four, 43-39 with 11:14 remaining, the Lions scored eight straight in a three minutes span to stretch the lead to 12 points, 51-39, on a Haywood layin. In the 8-0 run, Haywood scored six points with two offensive boards as he replaced senior Chris Ayer, who had fouled out with back-to-back fouls.

The Lions kept the lead near double digits and stretched it back to 12 with a pair of Worthy free throws with 2:10 remaining. However, the Lions would go cold from the charity stripe and Saint Mary's would climb back in it. The Lions finished just 7-for-21 from the free throw line.

With the lead at eight, 65-57 with 42 seconds remaining, Collins hit a layup to make it 65-59. The Lions missed a pair of free throws and Ian O'Leary hit a three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining to make it 65-62. It was one of just five three-pointers as the Lions held the Gaels to just 22.7 percent from the three-point line (5-for-22).

After the three, the Lions got the ball into their leading free throw shooter with 12 seconds remaining and Worthy was fouled. He hit one of two, giving him 1,000 points in his career and the Lions a four-point, 66-62 lead.

Saint Mary's was not finished as Wayne Hunter was fouled attempting a three-pointer. He hit the first but missed the next two. Haywood then grabbed the rebound as the Lions ran out the clock.

Coverage of the championship game will begin on the Lions' Audio Network through KXLU 88.9 FM and LMULions.com at 5:30 p.m.

- GO LIONS -