Loyola Misses Its Calling in a 59-58 Loss to San Diego

Loyola Marymount Coach John Olive wouldn’t say it was the wrong call, but he definitely thought a last-second intentional foul against his team was a strange one.

After the call against Loyola forward Zan Mason, guard Doug Harris made two free throws with eight seconds remaining to give the University of San Diego a 59-58 West Coast Conference victory at Gersten Pavilion on Saturday night.

Loyola led, 58-57, when Mason rebounded a missed layup by San Diego guard Geoff Probst. Mason dribbled away from the basket, but had the ball stolen by Harris. Official Ron Labetich immediately called an intentional foul on Mason, which gave possession back to San Diego after Harris’ free throws.

“We had the ball with eight seconds to go and lost on one of the most bizarre calls I’ve ever seen,” Olive said. “I don’t know if you’ll see that again this season.”

Loyola had another chance after Harris missed a one-and-one free throw with six seconds left, but center Brian McCloskey, who led the Lions with 18 points, missed a 15-foot turnaround jump shot from the baseline at the buzzer.

It was the fifth consecutive defeat and eighth in the last nine games for Loyola (7-15, 2-8 in the WCC). The Lions fought back from a 12-point deficit in the last eight minutes to take a 58-57 lead on a basket by forward Rahim Harris with 1:10 to play. Sophomore swingman Robin Kirksey scored nine of his 12 points in the final 7:14 for Loyola.

San Diego (10-11, 5-5) was led by Harris with a game-high 25 points, including five three-point baskets.

After losing in overtime against Pepperdine, 61-57, Friday night, San Diego Coach Hank Egan said his team was fortunate to beat Loyola.

“We were unlucky last night and lucky tonight,” Egan said. “(Loyola) really turned up the defense on us in the last seven, eight minutes.”

After playing a zone defense most of the second half, Loyola switched to a man-to-man scheme with about eight minutes remaining and started chipping away at a 53-41 San Diego lead. Kirksey was the catalyst, making two three-point shots down the stretch.

Before Loyola’s defensive switch, San Diego had success shooting from the outside. For the game, Harris and forward Gylan Dottin combined for seven three-point baskets in 15 attempts.

“When (Loyola) switched to a man-to-man (defense), the momentum really shifted,” said Egan, whose team had 22 turnovers. “After that, we struggled.”

Of the last-second intentional foul on Mason, Egan said: “I didn’t even see it. I saw Harris get the loose ball and it looked like he was going to pass it to someone under the basket.”

Olive said Mason should have never put the ball on the floor after rebounding Probst’s missed layup.

“He should have held the ball and gotten fouled,” Olive said. “It was just a lack of execution in the last 10 seconds.”

San Diego took advantage of an anemic Loyola offense to take a 33-25 lead in a slow-paced first half. The Lions made only 10 of 29 shots (34.5%) and committed 11 turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

After Loyola took a 12-9 lead on a follow shot by McCloskey, San Diego went on a 16-2 run for a 25-14 lead. The Toreros were hurt in the first half by 12 turnovers and two-of-nine foul shooting.