Lion pride is alive and roaring at Gersten Pavilion, making it the place for Family Weekend visitors to absorb the LMU spirit. The Lions’ basketball teams are coming off two exciting victories and are looking for more thrills this weekend.
“The tremendous fan support this season has given us a true homecourt advantage and made Gersten Pavilion a tough place to play,” said Athletic Director Craig Pintens. “The support of the students and fans gives us the confidence to play with anyone in the country. We are grateful for the passionate and dedicated fans that have made a difference and look forward to our remaining two home games.”
Leading into the weekend, the Lions face Gonzaga in a sold-out game on Feb. 16, but Family Weekend is hosting an on-campus Watch Party on Lawton Plaza at 7 p.m. RSVP here to join the festivities and cheer on the Lions.
The women’s basketball team, having broken through a January drought with a win against Saint Mary’s, will play PCH rival Pepperdine at 3 p.m. The Lions are looking to avenge a loss to the Waves and position themselves for the West Coast Conference tournament in March in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets can be purchased here.
The LMU men’s team is making its mark on the conference this season; with victories over No. 6 Gonzaga, No. 15 Saint Mary’s, and BYU, LMU is the first team in the WCC to beat all three in one season. During Family Weekend, the team will play Pacific on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m., seeking to avenge a loss in December. Tickets can be purchased here.
Led by Cam Shelton, Kelli Leaupepe, Justin Ahrens, Rick Issanza, and Jalin Anderson, the LMU men have also notched wins over Georgetown, Wake Forest, and Nevada this season, making a case for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament in March.
“We just kept coming,” said Coach Stan Johnson of win over Saint Mary’s. “You can do that when your gym sounds like that, and you have that kind of energy. Tonight, even though we got down 16-0, the crowd rallied behind us … Tonight, and the last few home games, we’ve had a tremendous turnout. Our fans and our student body have been awesome.”
