Loyola Women Can Stay Atop League With Win Over Waves

The Loyola Marymount University women’s basketball team can maintain its hold on first place in the West Coast Athletic Conference with a victory tonight at Pepperdine in the second game of the rivals’ home-and-home series.

Loyola won the first meeting Tuesday, 70-52, at Loyola to improve to 4-1 in the WCAC and drop the Waves to 2-3 in the WCAC and 7-12 overall. The Lions are tied with Gonzaga for the WCAC lead and own the best overall record in the conference at 12-7.

The Lions are riding their second four-game win streak of the season. This latest run has been a team effort, with a different player leading in scoring each game. Center Tricia Gibson had her best conference game Tuesday, leading the team with 21 points and eight rebounds. Overall, guard Lynn Flanagan tops the Lions with a scoring average of 11.5, followed by Gibson (9.9), Regan O’Hara (9.5) and Kristen Bruich (8.6). Michelle Bettencourt is the leading rebounder, averaging 6.6, followed by O’Hara at 6.1.

The Lions, 8-1 at home, are 3-6 on the road. However, Pepperdine is only 3-5 at home.

In the other games that affect first place this weekend, Gonzaga plays at Portland on Saturday while St. Mary’s (3-1) plays at San Francisco tonight and Santa Clara on Saturday.