Loyola Women, Men to Face Pepperdine

Loyola Marymount will be battling Waves on several fronts this weekend as the Lions face archrival Pepperdine in men’s and women’s basketball as well as baseball.

The men’s basketball teams played at Loyola on Wednesday, when the Lions clinched at least a tie for the West Coast Conference title with a 131-116 victory. Saturday’s rematch in Malibu, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., will be shown on Sports-Channel.

The women’s teams, which played Tuesday at Loyola, square off again at 7:30 tonight in Pepperdine’s Firestone Fieldhouse. The Lions won Tuesday, 75-64, pulling away from a 27-all halftime tie by shooting 58% in the second half while holding the Waves to 38% for the game.

Loyola, in third place in the West Coast Conference, is 14-11 overall and 7-4 in the WCC. Pepperdine is 12-13 and 3-8. Kristen Bruich is averaging 14.6 points for the Lions, followed by back-court mate Lynn Flanagan at 12.7.

The weekend’s activity kicks off today at Loyola’s Page Stadium, where the baseball teams will play three WCC games: a single game at 2 p.m. today and an 11 a.m. double-header Saturday.

The Lions, 6-4, are off to a 2-1 start in the West Coast Conference. Pepperdine, 4-4, is also 2-1 in the WCC. Both teams are ranked in the Baseball America Top 20.

Pepperdine catcher Mike Truschke and Loyola pitcher Jon Willard shared honors as the WCC’s first players of the week. Willard (2-1) has thrown three complete games, including a 10-inning, seven-hit victory over Santa Clara last weekend. Freshman Chris Gomez won the 3-2 game with a home run to center field.