Loyola Rally Falls Short, USF Wins by 2

Loyola Marymount, squandering a chance to position itself for a more attractive first-round matchup in next month’s West Coast Conference tournament, wasted an impressive second-half rally Saturday night in a 72-70 loss to San Francisco before 4,749 at Memorial Gymnasium.

A victory would have assured the Lions, 12-12 overall and 4-8 in the WCC, of not having to play conference champion Santa Clara in the opening round of the conference tournament March 4-6 at Santa Clara.

USF (10-16, 4-8), despite blowing a 67-58 lead, escaped with only its second victory in nine games after Loyola’s Mike O’Quinn missed two free throws with four seconds to play and the Lions trailing, 71-70.

Loyola led, 70-67, with 3:49 to play after Wyking Jones, who led the Lions with 19 points,scored on a follow shot to cap a 12-0 run.

But the Lions, who got 18 points from Ime Oduok, didn’t score again. A follow by Art Wallace pulled USF to within 70-69 with 1:57 to play, and Gerald Walker dunked with 1:18 left to give the Dons a 71-70 lead.

Walker led USF with 19 points.