MENWEST COAST CONFERENCELoyola Marymount (11-14, 3-9) at...
MEN
WEST COAST CONFERENCE
Loyola Marymount (11-14, 3-9) at Santa Clara (13-13, 6-5), 2 p.m., KXLU-FM (88.9) -- Loyola is assured of a spot in the WCC tournament -- all eight teams get in -- but the last-place Lions have let opportunities to beat the league’s quality teams slip away. Thursday they shot 50% overall and led most of the way against St. Mary’s only to watch the Gaels come from behind to prevail in the final seconds. Loyola point guard Charles Brown, who came off the bench for the first time this season, broke his shooting slump with 16 points. After losing to Pepperdine, Santa Clara remains in third place but is only one game ahead of San Francisco and San Diego.
Pepperdine (15-12, 5-7) at St. Mary’s (21-7, 8-3), 7 p.m. -- The Waves picked up one of their biggest victories of the season in defeating Santa Clara. Over its last five games, Pepperdine has an 83-point average as Coach Paul Westphal has settled on a starting lineup that includes two point guards -- Marvin Lea and Kingsley Costain -- along with another good ballhandler in Alex Acker. Costain, a freshman, had a breakout performance Thursday with a career-high 21 points in 40 minutes.
*
BIG WEST CONFERENCE
Utah State (19-6, 10-4) at Cal State Fullerton (14-8, 8-5), 2 p.m. -- With its win over Idaho on Thursday, Fullerton assured itself of at least a .500 record for the first time in 12 years. The Titans also strengthened their hold on fourth place in moving 2 1/2 games ahead of Idaho as they try to clinch a first-round bye in the Big West tournament. Junior center Jamaal Brown (averaging 12.9 points, 7.6 rebounds) is shooting 61.4% in his last seven games. Utah State is trying to reach 20 victories for the sixth consecutive season.
Idaho (8-17, 6-8) at UC Riverside (8-15, 3-10), 2 p.m., FSNW2, KPRO (1570) -- Both teams are heading in the wrong direction. Riverside fell out of eighth place with its loss to Utah State, and the Highlanders are trying to stop a slide in which they have lost five consecutive league games and seven of nine overall. Idaho’s hope of a first-round tournament bye is fading after suffering its third third consecutive loss Thursday. Idaho forward Dandrick Jones leads the Big West in scoring (16.8) and has 44 steals.
UC Santa Barbara (8-14, 5-8) at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (4-18, 2-11), 7 p.m., KIST (1340) -- Since winning its season opener at San Diego State, Santa Barbara has lost 10 consecutive road games. With countless injuries this season, one player who has benefited from an extensive look is freshman guard Alex Harris. Harris tied his season high with 16 points Wednesday at Pacific and is averaging 12.6 points in his last five games. Cal Poly freshman guard Dawin Whiten and senior forward Mike Titchenal are two of the few bright spots for the Mustangs, who haven’t had star guard Kameron Gray all season because of academic ineligibility.
*
NONCONFERENCE
Cal State Northridge (14-10) at Fairfield (12-12), noon -- Northridge didn’t count on making a 3,000-mile trek across the country in the middle of conference play, but the Matadors can use a victory to strengthen their case for a National Invitation Tournament berth, if they fall short in the Big West tournament. Fairfield, which Northridge has never played, is led by 6-foot-9 senior center Deng Gai, a native of the Sudan who leads the nation in blocked shots with 135 and averages 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds.
UC Davis (10-14) at UC Irvine (11-11), 7 p.m., KUCI-FM (88.9), KWRM (1370) -- Irvine won the teams’ first meeting, 71-64, at Davis on Jan. 24. It was also the last time the Anteaters have won two consecutive games. Guard Ross Schraeder, who has been wearing a mask to protect a broken nose, was limited to two points in Thursday’s loss at Long Beach State. The point total matched the lowest of the season for the junior, who leads Irvine in scoring. “We’ve been counting on Schraeder all year,” Coach Pat Douglass said. “He had an off night and that puts us in a bind.” Davis’ 5-9 record against Big West teams would put them in a tie for seventh place with Irvine, but the Aggies won’t be an official member until the 2007-08 season.
*
-- Eric Stephens