Dons Fall to Lions 74-63, Host Pepperdine Monday Night

Feb. 4, 2006

Matthew Knight had 22 points and six rebounds as Loyola Marymount picked up a road win with a 74-63 victory over San Francisco before a big homecoming crowd on Saturday night.

USF will try to bounce back against Pepperdine Monday night at Memorial Gymnasium.

Brandon Worthy added 18 points and five assists for the Lions, who had just their third win in 11 road games this season and avoided falling into a three-way tie for second place in the West Coast Conference. Instead, Loyola Marymount (9-13, 6-2) remained two games behind Gonzaga.

Wes Wardrop had 15 points for the Lions, who are off to their best start in the conference since 1989-90 under first-year head coach Rodney Tention. Loyola Marymount has won the last four games against San Francisco.

Armondo Surratt scored 17 points and had five assists for San Francisco (8-13, 4-4), which lost for just the second time in its last six home games. The Dons were within four points with just over two minutes to play but couldn't get any closer.

Alan Wiggins had 12 points and 11 rebounds for San Francisco while Gumbs added 15 points and seven rebounds.

Knight scored 14 of his points in the first half when Loyola Marymount took control of the game with strong shooting and a tenacious defense that forced San Francisco into nine turnovers in the first 20 minutes.

Knight made six of his first eight shots and finished 9-for-13 from the floor, though his streak of six straight double-doubles ended.

The Lions led 38-31 at halftime then used a 7-0 run early in the second half to take a 12-point lead. San Francisco missed its first four shots of the second half and turned the ball over three times while Loyola Marymount built a 45-33 lead.

The Lions maintained their lead throughout the second half, never letting the Dons get closer than seven points until Surratt's 3-pointer with 2:11 left to play pulled San Francisco within 67-61.

Worthy halted the Dons' push with a pair of free throws before Chris Ayers' emphatic dunk sealed the win for the Lions. Worthy and Wardrop combined to go 7-for-8 from the free throw line down the stretch to help the Lions hold on.