It's not that we lost, but how we lost

The problem is not that the LMU men's basketball team lost to Saint Mary's last night. Saint Mary's is arguable one of the best teams in the nation right now, and clearly has one of the top-10 offenses in the country. They are third in the nation in shooting percentage, and seventh in points per game.Right now they are playing like a team who could make a solid run in the NCAA Tournament.

The problem for the Lions is that they let Saint Mary's beat them playing their game. If I were Max Good and the Lions before last night's game, I would have said the following: "Saint Mary's is a great team and we're going to have to play a flawless game to beat them. However, the last thing I want is for the Gaels (who are one of the top-20 three-point shooting teams in the nation) to beat us with the three. We will do everything we can to throw them off their game."

But I am not Max Good, and I am hoping he didn't say that, because if he had, than the team has a huge problem executing a game plan.

Everyone is Gersten Pavilion last night knew the Gaels were going to come in shooting, and so they did, knocking down 13 of their first 16 shot attempts. What confused me, and all fans within my earshot, were why the Lions looked like they didn't know that was coming. Right off the bat LMU defenders gave Saint Mary's players room to shoot. Furthermore, Lions players were doubleteaming any Gael who drove towards the basket, therefore leaving a shooter wide open. To say LMU got burned on that strategy would be an understatement.

There was even one instance when a Saint Mary's player held the right at the three-point line for a good three or four seconds, with the Lion defender two feet away with his arm somewhat outstretched. The crowd screamed at the defender to "get closer" but that didn't seem to be in the Lions gameplan. The Gaels player drained the three.

Picking apart yesterday's loss any further would be pointless. I'd basically be reiterating things that were said after previous losses. Inability to adjust mid-game, inability to execute, etc.

All the Lions can do now is look forward, and luckily for them they have the worst team in the WCC coming to Gersten tomorrow. With a win, LMU would still have a realistic shot at the fourth seed in the WCC Tournament. I guess as long as the Lions can beat up against the teams they should beat up on, we can all still pray for some sort of miraculous WCC Tournament run.