Gathers Helps Loyola Defeat Portland

Hank Gathers scored 32 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead high-scoring Loyola Marymount past Portland, 100-90, Saturday night in a West Coast Athletic Conference game.

Gathers, who came into the game leading the nation in scoring and rebounding, hit 15 of 25 shots from the field. He is averaging 34 points and 14 rebounds a game.

Loyola (10-6 overall, 4-0 in the WCAC), which leads the nation with an average of 113 points a game, won its 19th straight regular-season WCAC game.

The Lions are tied for first place in the conference with Pepperdine and St. Mary’s.

Loyola jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead, but Portland (1-16, 1-3) used a 12-2 run to vault to a 43-34 lead with 3:14 to play in the first half.

The Lions then scored 11 straight to lead, 45-43, at halftime.

Loyola outscored Portland, 20-4, early in the second half to break the game open. The Lions extended the lead to 19 points several times, and the closest Portland could come was 9 points.

Guard Jeff Fryer, who scored 37 points Friday night to help the Lions beat Gonzaga, 113-104, had an off-night. He scored only 8 points, making just 2 of 23 shots, including 1 of 10 from 3-point range.

Josh Lowery, whose brother, Terrell, is a reserve for Loyola, led the Pilots with 27 points.

William McDowell had 16 points and 9 rebounds, and Steve Hutchinson had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pilots.