LMU Saturday 1/14 @ 7pm

Some of us returned to campus early (classes start Monday, weather permitting)...and have helped shovel around some of the parking areas and dorms just so we can gain access, but we're reminded there's also a game tonight.

I'm not seeing much enthusiasm after the Pilots combined for 75 points over the last two games, but a few of us will still be there to yell loud for our classmates.

Game time is 7pm and it's on ROOT-TV, and based upon our drive to campus, there will probably be a lot of people avoiding the roads and watching the game on the TV while also watching the GU/SMC game.

Officially this game is rated "pick'em" by Las Vegas, but I've read blogs that are saying the Pilots are so one dimensional they could lose by as many as 15 to an LMU team that is two or three years ahead of the Pilots in its development under Coach Dunlop.  

LMU has been involved in many close games this season as five of their eight losses have come by five points or less. Notable wins have come against Colorado State, Portland State, CSUN and Santa Clara. Close losses came against UConn, Nevada, UT Arlington and Boise State.....

Keep your chins up Pilots fans. LMU has its own set of issues and naysayers on our board.
While I'm hoping for a Lions win, we have a way of losing close games - like our game at Pepperdine we should have won.
Pilots are favored by 1.5 tonight but a sparse crowd won't boost your teams morale.
And our defense has been pretty good - expect Wintering to get lots of attention.
Good luck in any case! And keep shovelling!

Well, they certainly played a lot better than the previous two games. Great on drawing the fouls and FTs, Rashad rising up in the second half.

But the last minute turnover and the decisions made on those (crucial) last end game plays...

The "frustration" foul by Johnson was bad, and I don't see why that last-ditch run by Wintering when we still had a timeout left was a good idea either.

Coach Cantu was very blunt in his post-game analysis: "bad guard play". That's a tough way to lose one.

Ray had a good game, but when he blew that wide open layup/dunk, I commented that I hoped that wouldn't come back to bite them. Those extra two points would of been helpful. Hate when I'm right about stuff like that.

Also, I don't know who exactly was on the floor for LMUs last play, but the way they had been shooting FTs, perhaps fouling someone would of been a better approach.

Sure hate to blow a home game heading into a 3 game stretch of @USF and GU x2.

Finally! The coach uses his bench!! (Of course he had to with two starters injured, but still!)

Sure, the Pilots lost in dumb way in the final seconds, but IMO it was a big step for the team and the staff to have guys come in off the bench and contribute.

Chier started because Philipp is apparently going through concussion protocol, and he played well, then Rashad, Ray, and Joseph came off the bench and were big contributors.

Counting Chier, the usual subs contributed 33 points in the loss...and all were strong in their roles.

No, I would not have called timeout before the last possession. Calling a timeout would only have allowed the Lions to set their defense for what would have been the same final play anyway....Alec driving for the basket.  It was an excellent defensive play under the bucket to save the game for LMU.

On a negative note, D'Marques was ineffective on both sides of the ball, and without Phil, LMU kept attacking Gabe who just could not stop the bigger and more athletic LMU players.

Ahhhh the old late-game collapse, that'll make two this year along with the Fullerton loss. (Though to be fair, UTRGV was a collapse in UP's favour)

I feel bad for Jazz being in the middle of those three late turnovers...that sequence pretty much gift wrapped that game for LMU, and credit to Brown for that ridiculous layup to win it.

At this point it would have to be USF, SCU, and LMU favored for those 4/5/6 spots and avoiding Day 1 in Vegas. Going to take some tough road wins for the Pilots to supplant one of those teams.

Looks like the record will be 11-19 or possibly 12-18 going in to the conference tournament.