The Lions will head into West Coast Conference play with a 7-7 record. Despite the loss to the Vikings, who go to 6-7, the Lions head into conference with the most non-conference wins since the 1995-96 season. LMU was undone by the hot shooting of true freshman Aaron Fitzgerald, who finished with a career-high 28 points.

Trailing by two at the half, 37-35, the Lions looked to erase a first half deficit for the first time all season. However, Portland State went on a 13-0 run after the team traded baskets to start the second half to pull away. The Lions had 11 turnovers in the first half and committed four in the first three minutes of the second half. They would finish with 18 turnovers with Portland State committing 13.

Senior Robert Davis broke the Vikings run with a pair of free throws at the 15:27 mark to make the score 52-39 . The Vikings would extend the lead to 17, 58-41 with a three-point play by Seamus Boxley at the 14:57 mark.

The Lions behind seniors Greg Lakey, Robert Davis and sophomore Keith Kincade would cut the lead to nine, 65-56 with a free throw by Kincade at the 10:42 mark. The three would score all of the Lions points in the second half until Mollins hit a lay-up with four minutes remaining. Kincade did everything he could offensively to get the Lions back in it with a career-high 27 points. He would also have a career-high eight rebounds.

Lakey would finish with 12 points and Davis would finish 11, while 10 of the 12 Lions would score. Bench play by the Lions was again better than their opponent, outscoring the Pilots bench 30-7.

However, all five starters for the Vikings were in double digits, as Jeb Ivey joined Fitzgerald with 19 points, Anthony Lackey with 13, Seamus Boxley with 12 and Kevin Briggs with 11.

The Vikings finished shooting 55 percent (33-for-60) from the field and seemed to hit every key shot when the Lions cut the lead to 10. The Lions hit just 42.9 percent (27-for-63) from the field and a mere 24 percent (6-for-25) from the three-point line. LMU showed why they are fifth in the country from the free throw line, hitting 18-for-21 (85.7 percent).

The Lions will head into WCC play, continuing a three-game road trip, as they take on San Francisco Jan. 11 and Saint Marys Jan. 12. Both games will be at 7 p.m. and aired live on www.LMULions.com or KXLU 88.9 FM.