Loyola Stunning in Tournament Opener : WCC: Oduok scores 22 as Lions knock off top-seeded Santa Clara on its home floor, 87-83.

As improbable as it might have sounded on the eve of the West Coast Conference tournament, Loyola Marymount’s hopes of making the NCAA tournament are alive today and Santa Clara’s are all but dead.

Loyola overcame foul trouble, a lackluster performance from almost-too-sick-to-continue point guard Jim Williamson and a 12-point deficit Saturday to upset the WCC regular-season champion, 87-83, in the first round of the conference tournament before 4,890 at Toso Pavilion.

“Obviously, we played an exceptional basketball game,” said Loyola Coach John Olive, whose team made 66.7% of its shots in the second half and handed Santa Clara (21-6) its first loss in 11 home games.

The victory was the first by an eighth-seeded team over a top-seeded team in the tournament, which started in 1987, and the first for Loyola in the event since 1990, when its lineup included Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble.

It came on a day when Williamson, the Lions’ on-court leader, suffered from dehydration at halftime, when he complained of dizziness and numbness in his hands. Unable to stand on his own as the second half was about to start, Williamson returned to the locker room for treatment.

When he returned, with 16:07 to play, Jason Sedlock had made two free throws to give Santa Clara a 51-42 lead. Not long after, Loyola’s best inside players, Ime Oduok and Wyking Jones, picked up their fourth fouls.

“We had ‘em right where we wanted ‘em,” Olive joked.

Williamson never fully recovered, shuffling in and out of the game and missing all seven of his shots. Then, while chasing a loose ball late in the game, he severely sprained his left ankle, putting his status in doubt for tonight’s semifinal against Portland.

But Oduok and Jones continued their strong play inside before fouling out in the final 68 seconds.

By then, Loyola (13-14) was in control after first taking the lead at 57-55 on a three-point play by Oduok with 9:23 to play.

“There have been many other times during the year--in other emotional, critical situations--where we haven’t shown the same poise that we showed today,” Olive said.

Oduok led the Lions with 22 points, making eight of 10 shots. Guard Robin Kirksey and forward Mike O’Quinn each scored 19 and Jones scored 14.

Steve Nash led Santa Clara with 20 points and nine assists but had his problems against the defense of Kirksey, making seven turnovers.