Loyola Marymount University's 10th annual Madness at Midnight is set for tonight. While this event marks the beginning of men's and women's basketball seasons, it also marks the first time in years that Lions fans will have high expectations for their men's squad, after it posted a winning record (18-16) for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
These expectations are not unwarranted. The team returns four of five starters from last year's turnaround team and also welcomes back redshirt freshman center Edgar Garibay and senior Larry Davis, who both missed the majority of last season due to injury. The Lions said goodbye to only Brad Sweezy (who averaged just six minutes a game, mostly due to injuries to both Garibay and sophomore Ashley Hamilton), Given Kalipinde (whose decision to transfer this summer was surprisingly, but not all that detrimental to the Lions), and Kevin Young (whose decision to transfer came last spring, and can be read about in this Bottom Line Column).
So with the core of the team still in tact, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't improve upon their 18-16, or especially their 7-7 conference, record this season. But this is LMU we're talking about, and nothing about this program has gone as planned over the past four or five years, highlighted by the sudden disappearance of newly hired Head Coach Bill Bayno two years ago, and back-to-back seasons of five or less wins.
So what will the Lions need to do to fully emerge as a threat to compete for the WCC Title? Well, I'm so glad you asked.
The most important thing for LMU this season is going to be creating consistency, especially with its offense. Last season the Lions strung together a six-game winning streak, which included a huge road win over Notre Dame, but then lost to a struggling Pepperdine team and a San Francisco team they later defeated easily in the WCC Tournament to begin conference play 0-2. In the end, those two loses prevented the Lions from earning a first-round WCC Tournament bye.
LMU had its fair share of upset victories last season, as in addition to Notre Dame the Lions also defeated USC, Portland, and WCC powerhouse Gonzaga, but for them to be a legitimate team this season they are going to have to learn to play with that kind of drive every game, not just during marquee match-ups.
This new characteristic of consistancy is possible, but it is going to have to start with the team's offense, which last season scored as many as 104 points in a non-conference win and as few as 39 points in a late-season loss.
Here are the keys to the Lions offense:
1) Junior forward Drew Viney needs to be a bigger piece of the offense. After leading the team in both scoring and rebounding last season, despite missing a couple games with a leg injury, fans have still not seen the best of Viney. It is going to be crucial for the Lions to get Viney the ball more, and there is no reason that he shouldn't touch the ball every time LMU gets into its half court offense. If this happens, and Viney at least touches the ball every time down the court, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't win, and he shouldn't be WCC Player of the Year.
2) However, like any rule, there is always an exception. The Lions can also put together a successful offense by running the ball, and that is going to mean putting the ball in the hands of senior point guard Vernon Teel. Like Viney, Teel emerged as one of the WCC's elite players last season, and possesses the impressive ability to create and score off a turnover multiple times a game. Turning defense into offense is going to be key for the Lions, and if Teel can avoid turning the ball over, LMU's offense should average over 80 points per game. I'm fine with Viney not touching the ball on offense if: either Teel goes coast-to-coast for an easy layup OR he leads a fastbreak break opportunity only to kick it back to junior Jarred DuBois for a quick three from the top of the arc.
3) For the first time in years, the Lions will have the opportunity to possess some sort of an inside post presence. Garibay is still working his way back from injury, but by the start of WCC play both he and Hamilton should see themselves in the starting lineup. With the two of them getting to play with each other consistently for the first time ever, it gives the Lions a front court advantage that has been missing. Hamilton's strength and Garibay's height may be unmatched in the WCC, especially with both Omar Samham (SMC) and Dior Lowhorm (USF) now out of the picture.
These expectations are not unwarranted. The team returns four of five starters from last year's turnaround team and also welcomes back redshirt freshman center Edgar Garibay and senior Larry Davis, who both missed the majority of last season due to injury. The Lions said goodbye to only Brad Sweezy (who averaged just six minutes a game, mostly due to injuries to both Garibay and sophomore Ashley Hamilton), Given Kalipinde (whose decision to transfer this summer was surprisingly, but not all that detrimental to the Lions), and Kevin Young (whose decision to transfer came last spring, and can be read about in this Bottom Line Column).
So with the core of the team still in tact, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't improve upon their 18-16, or especially their 7-7 conference, record this season. But this is LMU we're talking about, and nothing about this program has gone as planned over the past four or five years, highlighted by the sudden disappearance of newly hired Head Coach Bill Bayno two years ago, and back-to-back seasons of five or less wins.
So what will the Lions need to do to fully emerge as a threat to compete for the WCC Title? Well, I'm so glad you asked.
The most important thing for LMU this season is going to be creating consistency, especially with its offense. Last season the Lions strung together a six-game winning streak, which included a huge road win over Notre Dame, but then lost to a struggling Pepperdine team and a San Francisco team they later defeated easily in the WCC Tournament to begin conference play 0-2. In the end, those two loses prevented the Lions from earning a first-round WCC Tournament bye.
LMU had its fair share of upset victories last season, as in addition to Notre Dame the Lions also defeated USC, Portland, and WCC powerhouse Gonzaga, but for them to be a legitimate team this season they are going to have to learn to play with that kind of drive every game, not just during marquee match-ups.
This new characteristic of consistancy is possible, but it is going to have to start with the team's offense, which last season scored as many as 104 points in a non-conference win and as few as 39 points in a late-season loss.
Here are the keys to the Lions offense:
1) Junior forward Drew Viney needs to be a bigger piece of the offense. After leading the team in both scoring and rebounding last season, despite missing a couple games with a leg injury, fans have still not seen the best of Viney. It is going to be crucial for the Lions to get Viney the ball more, and there is no reason that he shouldn't touch the ball every time LMU gets into its half court offense. If this happens, and Viney at least touches the ball every time down the court, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't win, and he shouldn't be WCC Player of the Year.
2) However, like any rule, there is always an exception. The Lions can also put together a successful offense by running the ball, and that is going to mean putting the ball in the hands of senior point guard Vernon Teel. Like Viney, Teel emerged as one of the WCC's elite players last season, and possesses the impressive ability to create and score off a turnover multiple times a game. Turning defense into offense is going to be key for the Lions, and if Teel can avoid turning the ball over, LMU's offense should average over 80 points per game. I'm fine with Viney not touching the ball on offense if: either Teel goes coast-to-coast for an easy layup OR he leads a fastbreak break opportunity only to kick it back to junior Jarred DuBois for a quick three from the top of the arc.
3) For the first time in years, the Lions will have the opportunity to possess some sort of an inside post presence. Garibay is still working his way back from injury, but by the start of WCC play both he and Hamilton should see themselves in the starting lineup. With the two of them getting to play with each other consistently for the first time ever, it gives the Lions a front court advantage that has been missing. Hamilton's strength and Garibay's height may be unmatched in the WCC, especially with both Omar Samham (SMC) and Dior Lowhorm (USF) now out of the picture.
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