Loyola Is 96-89 Victor Over Washington State and Faces Iowa Tonight

Loyola Marymount used its fast break to wear down a taller Washington State team for a 96-89 win Friday night in the first round of the Iowa tournament.

No. 5-ranked Iowa defeated Delaware, 95-47, in the opener to run its record to 5-0 and will meet Loyola tonight in the championship game.

Mike Yoest, a junior forward from Encino Crespi High School, scored a career-high 35 points for the Lions, while Mark Armstrong had 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Yoest, who is averaging 30.3 points a game, made 15 of 22 shots from the field. Armstrong, also a junior forward, hit 10 of 13 and had 11 rebounds.

Senior guard Chris Nikchevich, a transfer from Brigham Young, had 17 assists, a Loyola Marymount record.

Loyola Marymount (3-0) jumped to a 36-20 lead midway through the first half and led at halftime, 50-42. The Lions shot 54.2% for the game, while Washington State (2-2) shot 41%.

Forward Bryan Quinnett led the Cougars with 45 points, a tournament record.

Quinnett rallied the Cougars to a 56-56 tie with 15:22 left in the game after they had trailed by 16 in the first half.

But Yoest scored 16 points in the final minutes, and Armstrong added 15 to hold Washington State off.

In the first game, Iowa took control in the first half, outscoring Delaware, 53-19.

The Hawkeyes were led by Brad Lohaus, who scored 10 of his game-high 16 points in the first 20 minutes. Kevin Gamble added 15 points for Iowa, and Jeff Moe had 14.