LOS ANGELES—The Bellarmine men's basketball fell 80-69 to Loyola Marymount on Friday afternoon in a nonconference game at Gersten Pavilion on LMU's campus.
 
After shaking off a slow start, the Knights (2-4) fought back to climb within a single point but could not overtake the host Lions who led 37-34 at the intermission.  Coming out of the break, the Knights again had a poor start while LMU was on fire, extending the lead to 47-36 at the 16:42 mark.
 
Unlike the opening period, the Knights had no answer in the second half as LMU continued to convert from beyond the 3-point arc and get to the free throw line. The Lions led by as many as 26 before settling for the 21-point win.
 
The statistics reveal a 30-point discrepancy at the 3-point line, where LMU went 15 of 33 for 45.5 percent, and the Knights were just five of 22 for 22.7 percent.  The Lions converted just eight field goals inside the 3-point line, but got to the free throw line 25 times, making 19.  Bellarmine was 10 of 13 from the charity stripe.
 
Bellarmine Coach Scott Davenport said he was disappointed in the Knights' effort beyond what the statistics show. "We have three goals every game:  play together, play the hardest, and do what we're taught. Tonight, the first four minutes and then the entire second half, the grades would be F, F, and F," said the 18th year head coach. 
 
Davenport added that his staff charts deflections because they're an objective measure of effort, and in the second half, Bellarmine totaled just five.  "In my coaching career, I have no reference point for that.  Never have I seen (so few) in a half…this was, I hope, a low point because this is bad," he said.
 
Senior Garrett Tipton led three Bellarmine double digit scorers with 12 points while Bash Wieland and Curt Hopf added 10 apiece.  Juston Betz paced the Knights with five assists and grabbed six rebounds as BU held a 31-28 rebounding advantage.
 
Loyola Marymount (6-2) had five players reach double figures, led by Kelli Leaupepe and Justin Ahrens.  Leaupepe added a game-seven boards, and Ahrens converted five of 12 triples.
 
Bellarmine will stay in Los Angeles for its next game, which comes Sunday at 7 p.m. (4 p.m. PT) against the No. 19/17 UCLA Bruins in iconic Pauley Pavilion.
 
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights) and Facebook (BUKnights).