Loyola Fights Off USF Rally, 92-79

Terrell Lowery and Brian McCloskey sparked a run late that carried Loyola Marymount to a 92-79 West Coast Conference victory Friday night over the University of San Francisco.

The Lions (9-9 overall, 2-4 in the WCC) saw a 16-point lead cut to 70-66 on a three-point play by Alvin Brown of USF (9-10, 1-5) with 7:45 remaining.

But McCloskey, who finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds, scored six consecutive points and Lowery, who had 26 points, added a basket and a three-point play in an 11-2 run that gave Loyola an 81-68 with 3:45 left.

“We played our best first half of the season (building a 48-33 lead) and then played with good poise the rest of the way,” said Loyola Coach Jay Hillock, whose team lost to the Dons, 94-89, last Saturday night in Los Angeles. “We seemed a step quicker than we were (against USF) the other night.

“We needed to develop another scorer behind Lowery and McCloskey really stepped up tonight.”

McCloskey had 10 points and 11 rebounds in the second half.

Loyola built its lead to 54-38 on a jumper by Lowery with 17:51 left before the Dons made their first run at the Lions with an 18-5 surge that cut the deficit to 59-56 with 12:22 remaining.

Kevin Weeks had 17 points for USF, Tim Owens added 15 and Orlando Smart had 14 points and nine rebounds.

Lowery, who went to high school at Oakland Tech, made eight of 16 shots and added five assists for the Lions.

He wraps up his homecoming tonight when Loyola completes its Bay Area trip against St. Mary’s at Moraga.