Garibay to Long Beach State

Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports is reporting that former LMU center Edgar Garibay, who requested a release from the men's basketball team earlier this month, has transferred to Long Beach State.

Lions flat against Florida State

Miss today's Florida State game? All you really need to know is that the Lions shot 35 percent from the field (and only 28 percent in the first half) and gave up 25 second-chance points. That's the reason they lost 77-61.

Florida State may have one of the strongest defenses in the nation, but that is not why the Lions shot such a low percentage. LMU consistently missed shots, many of them open looks, all afternoon. With Drew Viney and Ashley Hamilton both out of the game, Jarred DuBois' 1-10 from the field with six turnovers really didn't help. Anthony Ireland, C.J. Blackwell and LaRon Armstead were the only Lions to truly score in the game, which featured 11 different Lions on the court. Ireland led the way with 19, Blackwell had 14 while Armstead had 11.

Secondly, the Lions were once again out-rebounded, and it was Florida State's 21 offensive boards that really hurt, leading to the 25 second-chance points. The Semioles are clearly bigger, taller and more athletic, but the Lions did not do a good job under the basket trying to box out some of those bigger guys.

Ireland didn't start the game after being late to a team meeting. He did start the second half, and was the Lions' leading scorer. He also added four assists and four rebounds.

Godwin Okonji once against played limited minutes due to foul trouble, and Edgar Garibay didn't contribute anything positive in his 10 minutes of play. Florida State outscored LMU 38-12 in the paint.

The Lions will end their two-game road trip Wednesday when they face Morgan State. Game will tip-off at 4 p.m. and fans can listen live at lmulions.com.

Lions to face tough test in season opener

The wait is over for Lions fans to put last year's disappointing season behind them, as LMU will officially begin their 2011-12 season Friday at the L.A. Sports Arena when it takes on the UCLA Bruins. It definitely won't be an easy opener for the Lions, as UCLA has been selected by many to be one of the top 25 teams in the nation in preseason rankings.

The biggest challenge for LMU is going to be protecting the paint. The Bruins boast a huge lineup, with four roster players checking in at 6'10" or taller. The Lions, on the other hand, will be without one of their best rebounders, with Drew Viney likely sidelined for a couple more weeks. Godwin Okonji, Edgar Garibay, Tim Diederichs and Ashley Hamilton will have to show up big on the boards if the Lions want to have a chance to steal a "W" from their crosstown rivals.

The biggest thing the Lions have going for them, however, is the fact that they have a much more talented backcourt than the Bruins. Jarred DuBois and Anthony Ireland need to take over this game, and even out the fact that the Lions may get pounded inside by the Bruins big men's depth. To make matters easier for DuBois, Ireland and even freshman Bruce English is the fact that UCLA's Jerime Anderson is suspended for the game, meaning the Bruins will have even less manpower to try and stop the Lions speedy back court.

This past weekend, LMU scrimmaged a tough UNLV team (losing by single-digits), which I think was probably great preparation for Friday's game. Either way, it should be a good one. Game tips off Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Thoughts from the Crimson/Navy Scrimmage

• Team camaraderie seems great. Of course, in a high-pressure, competitive setting is when this will be tested, but I was happy with what I saw today.
• Freshman C.J. Blackwell should be a contributor from day one. He has a nice mid-range jump shot, and has an ability to create space for a shot (very Drew Viney-like) that is very impressive for a freshman.
• I can't wait to see Anthony Ireland and Jarred DuBois play together. Jarred is more vocal than I remember him being, and Ireland will enter the season as a starter for the first time, which I think will really help him know his place. He is so quick and his ability to get to the hoop is beyond impressive.
• The big-men struggled a little offensively. Edgar Garibay, Godwin Okonji and Tim Diederichs had some trouble putting the ball in the hoop, a problem they also had last season.
• Ashley Hamilton was pretty MIA offensively, which surprised me. He played some solid defense though, and he had Godwin had a number of big-time blocked shots.
• Nice to see both Tobe Okafor and Nick Stover in attendance.

Up next, the Lions will play their lone exhibition game Tuesday, Nov. 1 against La Verne. Game starts at 7 p.m.

Injury updates: Garibay and Viney

Another disappointing, frustrating loss today. But as I mentioned in my previous post, unfortuntely all of the Lions games until Vegas are meaningless. That being said, it would be nice to see solid team play before then so that us fans know it exists.

Also, redshirt freshman center Edgar Garibay played just five minutes against Portland today, appearing to have badly sprained his ankle in the first period. From what I have heard, Lions fans should not expect to see him back on the court this season. I really feel for Garibay, who had finally seemed to have found some sort of groove after a long rehabilitation from offseason knee surgery.

Some good news for LMU fans, however, is that Drew Viney said to some fans during today's game that he would be back on the court Wednesday against Pepperdine for the Lions home finale.

The Lions host Pepperdine Wednesday at 8 p.m for Senior Night. Both Vernon Teel and Larry Davis will be playing their final game in Gersten Pavilion. The game will be on ESPNU.

Looking Forward: Migraines and more

Drew Viney will be key to the Lions success in Vegas | Courtesy of Facebook

Another close loss last night. The final score is in no way indicative of the closeness of the game, as the Lions trailed by just four points with four minutes to play, and had numerous attempts to cut that lead down to two. Yet again, however, key turnovers cost the Lions from making a full-fledged comeback.

Junior leading scorer Drew Viney missed his second straight games with affects from migraines. Could the outcome of the game have been different if Viney had played? Definitely. Should we have been able to win that game without him? Definitely. Viney's name was spoken a lot in Gersten yesterday as fans were wondering "what if Viney had played last night," but let's not forget that Viney played when this team lost to San Diego, Pepperdine, and Santa Clara. The truth is with or without Viney in the lineup, this team has yet to play a full 40 minutes of basketball in any game this conference season.

But it is also clear that this team's offense runs so much better when Viney is on the floor (although to give credit where credit is due, the team played phenomenal defense last night in Viney's absence). 


After the game, Loyolan Sports Editor John Wilkinson spoke with Head Coach Max Good about Viney's current status. "He’s still got to see a neurologist [today]," said Good. "The [migraine] medication they thought was making him anemic and kind of weak.  It was like he was kind of tired and drained."

To read the full Loyolan story, click here.

And for those fans wondering why a migraine has kept Drew out of two and a half games this season, a close family member of his has chosen to explain that on the LMU Lions fan message board. I can assure you that this poster is close to the situation, but I will respect any privacy on their identity past that point.

So what does this mean for LMU? Well clearly, and unfortunately, the Lions will not play another meaningful until they step onto the court at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas in March. This conference regular season is a wash, and it is apparent that we will probably enter the tournament as the seventh seed. However, I still believe that while this team may have lost its chemistry and confidence, it has not lost its talent that we all believed was enough to win them a WCC Title. There is no reason this team can't string together a couple of exciting wins at the WCC Tournament. However, Lions fans have got to pray that Viney's migraine situation clears up by then, as he will be vital to any successes we have in Vegas.

Until then, the best we can hope for is to treat the remainder of this regular season as tournament prep. I would like to see Godwin Okonji and Edgar Garibay get big minutes, as they seem to have been improving each game and should play a huge factor at the Tourney. I would like to see a consistent rotation set in place by Head Coach Max Good, so that each and every player knows his role come WCC Tournament time. And lastly, I would like to see the mental mistakes begin to be eliminated from play. If that can happen, there is no doubt that LMU is just as good a team as any in Vegas. 

Lions to face tough test today in Spokane

Anthony Ireland has emerged as one of the top freshman in the WCC | Courtesy of Facebook

After finding themselves on the losing side of a thrilling double OT game in Portland, the Lions roadtrip doesn't get an easier today as they travel to Spokane, Wash. to take on Gonzaga. The Bulldogs are 12-5 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

After losing WCC Player of the Year Matt Bouldin to graduation last spring, the Zags don't seem to have missed a step. Led by senior guard Steven Gray and junior center Robert Sacre, Gonzaga is riding an eight-game win streak, which includes a win over No. 9 Baylor. Gray is averaging 14.8 points per game on the season with Sacre not far behind with 13.5.

The Lions played very tough perimeter defense against Portland on Thursday, and that will have to continue tonight against Gonzaga, but most of all the Lions bigs will need to contain Sacre, who put up 24 points against Pepperdine two days ago. LMU got beat inside in double OT by Portland's Sikma, so hopefully Edgar Garibay, Godwin Okonji and Ashley Hamilton don't let that happen again.

The Lions went 1-2 against Gonzaga last season, with their last matchup coming in Las Vegas, Nev. at the WCC Tournament. The Bulldogs won the semifinal matchup before losing to Saint Mary's in the finals. LMU's biggest victory of recent years came last season when they beat then-No. 9 Gonzaga in Gersten Pavilion.

Hopefully the Lions can receive solid games from both Drew Viney and Vernon Teel, who have yet to put together impressive games on the same night in conference play. LMU is looking for the upset to tie its conference record at two.

The game tips off early at 5 p.m.

Here's to hoping that was the turning point

Last night's showdown on ESPN2 turned out to be one hell've a basketball game. Lead changes, intensified defense in the closing minutes, clutch shooting; this game had it all. Unfortuntely for the Lions, they came out on the losing end of things in a game that really could have gone either way.

But considering how tough this season has been thus far, last night's game was important for both the Lions and their fans. LMU proved that they can still compete for a top-4 spot in the WCC standings.

The most important part of last night's game was the fact that the Lions played the best defense they had all season, and they played that defense against a strong offensive team. There is no reason the Lions shouldn't be able to bring that kind of defensive intensity to every game. LMU had 11 steals and five blocks in the contest.

It is easy to point the finger at certain individuals for last night's loss, and the message boards are already having fun placing blame, but when you watch last night's game you'll see that almost everyone on the team made valuable contributions that the team could not have lived without, but also made some mental errors that hurt the Lions chances. Vernon Teel and Edgar Garibay both missed key free throws down the stretch, but both also were the only Lions making free throws during the bulk of the game. Drew Viney would have been the hero if the Lions had won, and deservedly so, as he hit the two biggest shots of the Lions season despite the loss, but was seemingly absent in the first half. The list could go on and on, but the important part is that that game was lost by the Lions as a team, but also kept close by the Lions as a team.

Both technical fouls were unfortunate (committed by Head Coach Max Good and Vernon Teel), and I expect better from Teel when it comes to keeping his composure on the court. I hope this was a good learning experience.

Overall, considering I was worried about the Lions getting embarrassingly blown out on national television, I am so pleased with last night's game. Let's hope it wasn't a fluke, and that tomorrow's game against Gonzaga is just as competitive. If we can keep things competitive against Gonzaga, St. Mary's (next time) and Gonzaga, then a fourth seed (and first-round bye at the WCC Tournament) should be in our future.

Edgar Garibay cleared to play after concussion

Courtesy of Facebook

Redshirt freshman center Edgar Garibay was held out of the Lions win over UC Irvine due to a concussion. As of today, however, he has been cleared to play, according to Diamond Leung of ESPN.

LMU will need Garibay in Thursday's game, as they are already without big man Ashley Hamilton who is recovering from surgery after suffering a broken hand a couple weeks ago.

The Lions game against St. Mary's will open WCC play Thursday at 6 p.m. The game can be seen live on ESPNU.

Lions hope to sweep season series against South Dakota

Vernon Teel plays tight defense Saturday night against Florida State | Julia Pine

The Lions head out on the road tomorrow to take on a South Dakota team they beat 72-67 in Gersten Pavilion just two weeks ago. LMU is coming off of a double-digit loss to Florida State, but I expect them to be able to handle the Coyotes again.

In the last matchup between the two teams, the Lions received massive games from guards Anthony Ireland and Vernon Teel, while surviving off nights from both Drew Viney and Larry Davis. I wouldn't expect those two to be held down again, so if Ireland and Teel can contribute even half the points they did last time the Lions should be able to pull out the win.

Since playing the Lions, South Dakota have however gone 2-0, beating Tabor College and Eastern Washington.

LMU played well also though in its lone game since facing the Coyotes, hanging tight with a tough Florida State team into the final minutes of the game. Saturday night also saw the return of Edgar Garibay, who despite playing limited minutes looked pretty good on the court and showed off his long range on a sweet 18-foot jumper. Garibay is going to be an important piece of the puzzle for the Lions, especially while Ashley Hamilton is out. The Seminoles beat up LMU's interior defense pretty bad Saturday night, so look for that to be something the team works on before conference play begins.

Tomorrow's game begins at 5 p.m.

Lions to face Florida State Seminoles in Gersten Pavilion showdown

The LMU men's basketball team will face its biggest test of the non-conference schedule tomorrow when they host Florida State at 8 p.m. The Lions (6-5) and Seminoes (8-2) both enter the game riding three-game winning streaks.

The Seminoles only two losses come from the hands of reputable opponents Ohio State and Florida. They are led by junior forward Chris Singleton, who is leading the team with 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. Junior guard Deividas Dulkys is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.8 per game while shooting an impressive 45.8 percent from beyond the arc.

In injury news, redshirt freshman center Edgar Garibay is questionable for tomorrow's game, while Ashley Hamilton recently had surgery on his broken hand and is expected to be out another 4-6 weeks.


The game, which can be seen live on ESPNU, wraps up a four-game home stand for the Lions, in which they have so far gone 3-0.

Injury Updates: JD potentially out for year, MRI for Viney

The Lions were without four scholarship players in tonight's game: Drew Viney, Jarred DuBois, Edgar Garibay, and Ayodeji Egbeyemi.

Viney, who injured his calf in the Lions game against Rider over a week ago, will receive an MRI tomorrow.

DuBois, who has now missed two-straight games, will likely be out for the season. I'm hearing his ankle needs surgery. This may, however, not be awful news for the program as a whole, as DuBois would then receive a medical redshirt and get to have an extra year of eligibility after Vernon Teel and Larry Davis leave the program. In my opinion, the Lions should be fine in the guard position this year with Teel, Davis, and Anthony Ireland.

Garibay should return to the court on Dec. 18, when the Lions face Florida State.

And lastly, Deji should come back from his injury within two weeks.

Edgar Garibay out for regular season opener

Courtesy of Facebook

Center Edgar Garibay will not play in tomorrow's game against Morgan State, according to Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports. Garibay missed the majority of last season after tearing his ACL, and Head Coach Max Good and the Lions do not want to rush him back.

His planned absence from tomorrow's game is not a surprise, although some felt Garibay might see limited minutes to test out his leg. No word yet on whether Garibay will see any action against La Sierra on Sunday.

The Lions take on Morgan State in their regular season opener tomorrow at 7pm in Gersten Pavilion.


Update: Freshman center Godwin Okonji is also not expected to play, as he is battling a groin strain, according to lmulions.com. This will leave the Lions somewhat short at the five spot.