Gathers Faints, but Kimble’s 51 Keep Loyola From Collapse

Loyola Marymount needed the biggest night of Bo Kimble’s college career to score its biggest victory of the season, knocking off UC Santa Barbara, 104-101, Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 4,156 at Loyola.

Kimble scored 51 points, setting a school record and making up for the midgame loss of Hank Gathers, who fainted on the court with 13:56 left.

Kimble’s outburst helped the Lions (5-1) hold off a late rally by the Gauchos (3-2), who trimmed a 20-point deficit to one point in the final minute behind Carrick DeHart’s 26 points and Eric McArthur’s 24.

Gathers, who had 18 points, did not return to the game and was taken to Centinela Hospital Medical Center for precautionary tests, but team doctor Dan Hyslop said Gathers appeared to be fine.

The Lions were also without Jeff Fryer, recovering from an injury, and two players fouled out.

Santa Barbara dictated a deliberate pace for the first 12 minutes, with Loyola failing to score three minutes into the game and UCSB holding a 24-23 lead with 7:59 to play in the half.

The game proceeded at UCSB’s pace until Loyola suddenly kicked it into gear and, with Kimble finding his three-point touch, went on a 14-2 run in two minutes to build a 46-32 lead. The Lions led at halftime, 54-44.

Gathers scored five straight points in the spurt and Kimble hit three three-pointers in the last seven minutes of the half on the way to 26 points at the break. Gathers added 13. McArthur paced the Gauchos with 12.

The Lions continued to expand the lead in the second half despite the loss of Gathers, stretching it to 20 several times.

The Gauchos ate into the lead with a late 11-2 run, pulling to within 92-82 with 6:30 left, and sliced the lead to single figures at the 4:33 mark. Consecutive three-pointers by DeHart and Idris Jones trimmed the lead to 98-93 with 2:42 left. A three-pointer by Paul Johnson and a short jump shot by Gary Gray made it 100-98 with 1:44 left.

Two free throws by Kimble were answered by another three-point basket from DeHart, making it a one-point game with 56 seconds remaining.

The Gauchos had two chances to take the lead but committed two turnovers in the final half minute, and Kimble hit two free throws with 11 seconds left to seal it.