Loyola, Pepperdine Open WCAC Action Tonight

Loyola Marymount will open West Coast Athletic Conference basketball action tonight, taking its high-powered offense to defense-minded Santa Clara. The Lions will play at the University of San Francisco Saturday.

Loyola (7-5) will have a slightly different look this weekend, with freshman guard Jeff Fryer getting his first start. Senior Dennis Vogel will become the backup shooting guard. Coach Paul Westhead, who says Fryer has become the team’s top outside shooter, is looking for some improved marksmanship in the backcourt. None of the team’s four top guards is shooting better than 43%.

Points and accuracy haven’t been a problem up front, especially since center Vic Lazzaretti returned to the starting lineup four games ago after having been hobbled by a series of injuries and ankle bone spurs. Junior forwards Mike Yoest and Mark Armstrong are averaging 22.5 and 13.2 points, and Armstrong accounts for 10.8 rebounds a game. Lazzaretti, averaging 10 points and 8 rebounds, has produced 17.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game since becoming a starter, shooting 64% in that period.

The Lions, who are scoring 93.3 points a game but allowing 91.9, are 1-4 on the road. Santa Clara, 9-5 for the season and 7-1 at home, is scoring 71 points a game while giving up only 66.4. The Broncos, with no player averaging more than 11 points, figure to try to force the ball inside to 6-9 players Jens Gordon and Dan Weiss and use the clock. The Bronco lineup includes junior forward Roland H’Orvath from Redondo Beach and freshman guard Osei Appiah from Long Beach.