Loyola to Accept Its NCAA Berth : College basketball: Today, players will have first full practice since Gathers’ death. Monday, they will attend funeral in Philadelphia.

On the surface, life was slowly returning to normal on the Loyola Marymount campus Wednesday.

In Gersten Pavilion, where there had been a memorial Mass for Hank Gathers on Tuesday, the baskets were up again, and the team held an informal afternoon shootaround. The nationally ranked baseball team, which had canceled a game against USC Tuesday, was back on the field. Wednesday night, Loyola played a volleyball match in the pavilion against USC.

And the basketball team decided to accept its berth in the NCAA tournament. It will hold its first full practice since Gathers’ death in a closed session today. NCAA pairings will be announced Sunday.

The team, which met Wednesday morning, had until Friday to make a decision. But players’ statements earlier in the week left little doubt that their sentiment was to play and dedicate the effort to Gathers, who died Sunday.

Bo Kimble, who averaged nearly 50 points a game in Gathers’ absence after Gathers had a fainting spell in December, said it was “an adamant decision.” He said the team will play to continue its good season--the Lions are 23-5--and to honor Gathers.

“We all want to play; we want the opportunity to play well,” Kimble said. “If we win a few games, it would be a great way to go out. I think the team will be up to the task.”

At the NCAA offices in Shawnee Mission, Kan., Loyola’s decision to play was the expected one. “I don’t know of any time that someone has turned it down under this situation,” assistant executive director Dave Cawood said.

An NCAA spokesman also said the Gathers tragedy will not have an impact on where the team is seeded. “I don’t believe the committee can consider anything but records,” said Bill Hancock, director of the championship tournament.

If Loyola had turned down the bid, the West Coast Conference--which canceled the final games of the tournament after Gathers collapsed Sunday--would not have sent a representative to the 64-team tournament.

Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury, who attended the Mass Tuesday with his team, said he still has hopes that the Waves may be chosen for the National Invitation Tournament. He said he understands the conference’s decision but is disappointed that his team did not get a chance to finish the tournament at a later time.

At 17-11, the Waves’ only shot at an NCAA bid would have been to upset Loyola in the WCC tournament final. Pepperdine dealt the Lions their only defeat in conference play, 131-123, on Feb. 17.

Asbury said he thought the conference might have resumed the tournament this weekend, when many tournaments are being played around the nation. “But that’s like looking back on a referee’s call,” he said. “It’s over.”

He added: “Our kids were in real shock about Hank. If this is how (the season) ends suddenly, this is certainly the way you can be most tolerant about it.”

While the NCAA pairings are being announced, the Lions will be on their way to Philadelphia for Gathers’ funeral. Loyola officials said the team will attend the Monday service, leaving Sunday and returning Monday evening.