SOUTHLAND ROUNDUP

UC Irvine 62, Loyola Marymount 57--Yes, as Steve Aggers, first-year coach at Loyola Marymount so vehemently pointed out, these are not the same meek Lions that had only two victories against non-Division I teams and 26 losses overall last season.

And if Loyola (1-1) continues to play the way it did in its gutsy loss to Irvine (2-0) at the Bren Center, well, just let Aggers tell it.

Infuriated by a published comment he said insinuated that the Lions didn’t belong in Division I, Aggers leaped on his soap box in the caverns of the Bren Center with a mighty roar not long after the game was over.

“It was a cheap shot,” he said. “This is a whole new year. There are only two kids on this team from last year. Once we get it down, we will be all right.”

Indeed, that was evident by the Lions’ play, a point not lost on their opponents, who were quick to lavish praise on the Lions. Despite making only 22 of 57 shots, Loyola trailed by only 56-52 with 52 seconds to play after a three-point basket by Eurskine Robinson.

It took four free throws from guard Jerry Green and two from senior Malachi Edmond to put Loyola away.

“They are much improved,” Irvine Coach Pat Douglass said. “Coach Aggers has them playing hard. They’re probably going to be one of the most improved teams in Southern California.”

Eggers, of course, thinks so too, but Irvine isn’t doing badly, either.