Loyola Loses Lead and Game to Las Vegas

Despite wasting a 16-point halftime lead, Loyola Marymount still had a chance to extend its winning streak to four games Saturday night against Nevada Las Vegas.

The Lions, trailing by two points, had possession after calling a timeout with 15.3 seconds left and got the ball to sophomore Kent Dennis, who had buried three three-point baskets in the second half.

But Dennis missed a shot from beyond the arc on the right wing with five seconds left, and center Greg Lakey missed a close follow shot that would have sent the game into overtime, giving UNLV a 70-68 nonconference victory before 2,280 at Gersten Pavilion.

“We let it get away and didn’t execute down the stretch,” said Loyola guard Robert Davis, who scored a team-high 18 points off the bench.

Loyola is now 5-4, which remains the Lions’ best start since the 1995-96 season, but fell to 5-21 in its series against the Runnin’ Rebels. UNLV has defeated Loyola 16 times in the last 17 games.

Forward Dalron Johnson scored 23 points and had 10 rebounds and six steals as UNLV (4-3) won on the road for the first time under first-year Coach Charlie Spoonhour.

Guard Marcus Banks made what proved to be the game-winning shot when he scored off a drive with 19 seconds left.

“We’ve had a tendency to come out soft in the second half and play without intensity,” said Johnson, who played at Verbum Dei High. “Tonight we changed that around.”

Loyola had built its 41-25 halftime lead by making 56% of its shots and committing only six turnovers while UNLV shot only 28%.

But UNLV got 11 of its 16 steals in the second half and many resulted in layups and dunks that helped the Runnin’ Rebels shoot 64% in the final 20 minutes.

“Their quickness was certainly the difference tonight,” Loyola Coach Steve Aggers said.

UNLV took the lead, 51-49, on a three-point basket by Lou Kelly with 11:59 left and led by five points with 3:16 remaining.

Loyola tied the score, 68-68, with 46 seconds left when Davis put back a missed three-point shot by Dennis.

After a timeout, UNLV got the ball to Banks, who drove the lane from the right side and made a shot with 19 seconds remaining to set up the final sequence.

Banks scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and finished with five steals.

Lakey scored 15 points and Keith Kincade had 10 for Loyola.