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(December. 15, 2007) –
UC Riverside overcame a 13-point second halftime deficit to
beat Loyola Marymount University 86-74 in overtime at the
UCR Student Rec Center. Five different Highlanders finished
with double figures in points led by junior’s Aaron
Scott and Severin Gates who finished with 15 points for UCR
(3-6).
Gates posted the games
lone double-double with those 15 points and a career-high
11 rebounds. Senior Larry Cunningham added 13 points, junior
Chris Johnson and sophomore Sean Cunningham each chipped in
with 12 points for the Highlanders.
UCR made their first 5-of-6
shots to take an early 11-8 lead just over five minutes into
the game but the hot shooting of the Lions would take over.
LMU (3-8) took their first lead at the 12:25 mark, 16-15 and
continued to answer the Highlander offense with baskets of
their own as both teams played a very quick pace throughout
the first 20 minutes with Loyola finishing the half 13-of-21
(61.9%) shooting from the floor including 7-for-12 (58.3%)
from behind the arc to take a 40-36 advantage into the break.
Orlando Johnson went off, leading the Lions in shooting at
4-of-5 from three-point land to finish with 19 first half
points. UCR did keep pace despite the unbelievable shooting
night by Loyola with one of their best first half-shooting
efforts of the season as well. They shot 15-30 (50.0%) from
the floor and used nine Lion turnovers to score 17 points,
led by Scott’s 11 points, and keep it close at the break.
LMU continued their hot
shooting to open up a 13-point lead on two different occasions
in the second half with the second coming at the 15:07 mark,
53-40. UCR slowly began to chip away at the Lion lead though,
using a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to cut it to
57-56. Seven straight LMU points followed to open up a 64-58
lead for the Lions with just over four minutes remaining.
The Highlanders then turned
up the dial on defense and continued to attack the basket
on offense, going on a 6-0 run capped by Larry Cunningham’s
steal and outlet pass to Johnson for a layup and close the
gap to 64-63 still in favor of Loyola. Both Johnson and Gates
added big baskets down the stretch as Johnson added seven
of his season-high 12 points off the bench in the second half.
A few minutes later the offense swung the ball around to Larry
Cunningham who knocked down a three-pointer from the left
wing that pulled the two teams even with a 1:38 left on the
clock.
The Lions then converted
on two free-throws but Gates answered for UCR with his two
makes from the foul line to tie the game at 70-70 after he
was fouled on his drive to the basket with 22 seconds remaining.
Loyola threw the ball away while bringing the ball up on the
ensuing play, allowing UCR to take the final shot of regulation.
The Highlanders were unable to get a good look and then avoided
a loss after a LMU 3/4 court length shot at the buzzer bounced
off the front of the rim.
It was the Highlander “D”
that came into the game ranked second in the Big West, that
stepped up in the overtime session, holding the Lions to 1-for-11
(9.1%) from the field. Gates added eight of his points in
the final period as UCR outscored Loyola 16-4 in overtime.
After his great first half with 19 points, LMU’s Johnson
was limited to six points in the final 25 minutes of play
but still finished with a game-high 25 points.
Riverside finished shooting
29-61 (47.5%) on the night and 22-for-25 (88.0%) from the
charity stripe. That young and improving UCR defense led by
Scott’s three steals, forced 21 LMU turnovers and turned
them into 31 points.
The next game for the Highlanders
is a week from today, when Cal State Bakersfield comes to
town next Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
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