Lions Hoping to Make This One a Classic : Basketball: If Loyola can defeat Northridge in they tournament opener, they probably will earn a shot against No. 24 Michigan State.

A week after giving Nevada Las Vegas a struggle, Loyola Marymount hopes to meet another nationally ranked basketball team this weekend.

Michigan State, ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll, leads a four-team field that begins play tonight in the second annual L.A. Classic at Gersten Pavilion. Loyola (1-1) will meet Cal State Northridge (1-3) at 6, with Michigan State (1-1) playing Stetson (0-3) at 8.

The championship game will be played at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Loyola Coach John Olive was encouraged by the Lions’ play Saturday in an 84-80 loss to 22nd-ranked Nevada Las Vegas. After leading by as many as six points in the first half, Loyola fell behind by 14 early in the second half before drawing within two points in the final minute.

“Our kids have it within them to play with anyone,” Olive said after the game. “I couldn’t ask for anymore.”

Michigan State is coming off a 73-69 loss to No. 9-ranked Louisville on Saturday in Detroit. Sophomore guard Shawn Respert leads the Spartans with a 28-point average, and 6-foot-11, 270-pound center Mike Peplowski averages 12 points and 12.5 rebounds.

Magic Johnson, who led Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA title and played for Spartan Coach Jud Heathcote, is expected to be in attendance this weekend.

After struggling in its opener--an 80-77 victory over Division II College of Notre Dame--Loyola pulled together to give UNLV a scare. The Lions frustrated the Rebels with a 2-3 zone defense that denied close-range shots. UNLV shot poorly from the outside, making only 40.6% of its field goals.

Five Loyola players are averaging double figures in points, led by forward Zan Mason with an 18.5 average. Mason, a 6-foot-7 transfer from UCLA and former Westchester High standout, had 16 points against UNLV.

Also sporting double-figure scoring averages for Loyola are guards Rahim Harris (12.5), Bill Mazurie (12.0) and Ross Richardson (11.5), and forward Robin Kirksey (10.5), a sophomore from Gardena High.

Mazurie, who scored a career-best 19 points against UNLV, will go against his former team tonight. He played for Northridge as a freshman in the 1989-90 season before transferring to Cerritos College last season.

Center Brian McCloskey is the only Loyola starter not averaging double figures in points, but his rebounding has been crucial. The 6-8 senior leads the team with 10.5 rebounds a game, including a career-best 15 against UNLV. The Lions outrebounded the Rebels, 46-39.

Loyola will be trying to avenge last season’s 102-95 loss to Northridge, which gave Coach Pete Cassidy his 300th career victory.

The Matadors won their first game Wednesday night, rallying from a 37-35 halftime deficit to defeat host Northern Arizona, 76-67. Point guard Andre Chevalier, who averages a team-leading 13.8 points, led Northridge with 22. Center Peter Micelli averages 12.8 points.

Tonight’s game will be the first of two meetings between Northridge and Loyola this season. The teams play again Jan. 5 at Northridge.

Stetson lost to Bethune Cookman, 81-74, and Central Michigan, 84-83, in its tournament last weekend. The Hatters are coached by Glenn Wilkes, who has a 538-425 record in 36 seasons at Stetson. Wilkes is eighth among active NCAA coaches in victories, and ranks first in games coached, most overall years coached and most years coached at the same school.

Center Donell Grier, Stetson’s tallest starter at 6-6, leads the team with averages of 15 points and eight rebounds.