Lions Score Landmark Win Over Titans

Loyola Marymount won’t have to listen to it anymore.

The Lions won’t have to hear about those 32 consecutive losses against Division I competition.

Loyola ended the streak Tuesday night in Gersten Pavilion with a 65-56 victory over Cal State Fullerton.

“We can put last year to rest now,” first-year Loyola Coach Steve Aggers said. “Now we can move forward.”

The Lions won only two of 28 games last season, but both those victories were against non-Division I teams. Their only previous victory this season was against Vanguard, an NAIA team, in their opener at home. The Lions hadn’t beaten a Division I team since a victory over Portland in February of 1999.

Philipp Czernin scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Lions (2-4). Loyola also had a solid effort from center Pablo Machado, who scored 12 points and had seven rebounds. Guard Robert Davis had 10 points.

Fouls and turnovers hurt the Titans.

Fullerton (1-4) had 12 turnovers in the first half and finished with 20. Loyola made 26 of 37 free throws to 13 of 18 for the Titans.

Fullerton’s Matt Caldwell and Ike Harmon spent considerable time on the bench in the first half after early foul troubles.

Harmon played only seven minutes in the first half and did not score. Harmon finished with 12 points, playing all but a minute in the second half. Caldwell had seven points. Guard Kevin Richardson also had 12 points, guard Ryan Dillon 11 and reserve center Babacar Camara had 10.

“We can’t afford to throw the ball away like we did,” Titan Coach Donny Daniels said. “We have to execute better.”

Aggers said the Loyola game plan called for working the ball inside to try to force fouls.

“Our guys did a good job of that,” Aggers said. “We wanted to get the ball inside and get to the free throw line early if we could. We went right at Harmon to try to get him in foul trouble early if we could.”

Caldwell picked up two fouls five minutes into the game and played only five minutes in the first half. Harmon picked up his second midway through the half, and was held scoreless on three shots before the break.

Loyola led by as many as nine points in the half, but the Titans cut the lead to three and then trailed, 32-28, at halftime.

A slow start hurt the Titans in the second half. Harmon got his first field goal three minutes into the half and added two more quick baskets, but Loyola maintained the upper hand.

Loyola’s lead was cut to 54-51 when Harmon scored with 5 1/2 minutes left, but Czernin made four key free throws to keep the Lions in control.

Czernin also made a key basket with a minute left after Fullerton had closed to within four points.

The Titans shot 42.6% from the field to 40% for Loyola.

“I thought we played well defensively for the full shot clock,” Aggers said. “We forced 20 turnovers, and that was the difference in the game.”

The Titans next will face Wyoming Saturday night at Titan Gym.