Loyola Ends Streak With a New Look

Loyola Marymount’s basketball players, accustomed to losing close shaves, were proudly wearing them Friday night.

Playing their first game with Marine-style buzz cuts, the Lions routed Buffalo, 93-77, at Gersten Pavilion to post their first victory of the season and end a 19-game losing streak, the longest among NCAA Division I teams.

“If we win, after each game, I’ll keep giving haircuts,” said redshirt freshman John Anthony, Loyola’s barber. “It pulled us together. None of us were down, but it made everything a little lighter.”

Perhaps most relieved was Coach John Olive, whose team had not won since Jan. 30 of last season and had lost its previous three games by a total of seven points, including two in overtime.

“It’s nice for the kids because so much was being made of the streak,” Olive said. “These kinds of things get magnified. It’s good to get it over with.”

Junior forward Wyking Jones led Loyola (1-9) with a career-best 32 points, the most scored by a Lion in two seasons under Olive. Sophomore center Ime Oduok added 15 points and pulled down a career-best 22 rebounds, the most by a Lion since Hank Gathers had 27 in the 1989-90 season.

Loyola took control by outscoring Buffalo, 22-7, in the last 10 minutes of the half to open a 39-27 lead. Jones scored 12 of his 20 first-half points during the run.

The Lions opened the second half with a 14-4 surge, taking a 53-31 lead on Anthony’s three-point basket with 15:32 to play.

Buffalo (4-9), losing for the eighth time in nine games, was led by guard Modie Cox, with 24 points.