Intentional Foul Call Costs Loyola, 59-58

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 lost the ball to Harris. Official Ron Labetich immediately called an intentional foul on Mason, which gave the ball 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 to play, but center Brian McCloskey, who led the Lions with 18 points, missed a 15-foot turnaround jump shot from the baseline as time expired.

It was the fifth consecutive defeat and eighth in the last nine games for Loyola (7-15, 2-8), which 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.

San Diego (10-11, 5-5) was led by Harris, who scored 25 points.