San Diego men’s basketball falls 83-63 at Loyola Marymount as early deficit shapes WCC road loss

LMU controls first half, extends margin after intermission

The University of San Diego men’s basketball team dropped an 83–63 road decision to Loyola Marymount on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Los Angeles, a result that moved both programs deeper into the middle tier of the West Coast Conference standings.

The game’s decisive stretch came before halftime. Loyola Marymount built a 37–20 lead at the break, holding San Diego to 20 first-half points and setting the tone for a wire-to-wire night. San Diego generated 43 points in the second half, but the early gap limited the margin for any sustained comeback run.

Key individual production: Shelley leads LMU; Ford tops San Diego scorers

Loyola Marymount was led by Jalen Shelley, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds. Rodney Brown Jr. added 16 points, and Jan Vide scored 13 while shooting 6-for-8 from the field. The Lions’ top scorers combined to provide consistent half-court offense after LMU established control in transition and through early shot-making.

San Diego’s leading scorer was Dominique Ford with 14 points and six rebounds. Juan Sebastian Gorosito scored 11, and Brandon Benjamin added 10. While the Toreros’ second-half output improved, their offensive rhythm was disrupted early, and the scoring distribution did not translate into sustained pressure on LMU’s lead.

How the result impacts the WCC picture

With the win, Loyola Marymount improved to 13–13 overall and 4–9 in conference play. San Diego fell to 10–16 overall and 4–9 in the WCC. The outcome tightened the standings in the lower half of the league, where a small number of results can quickly shift positioning as teams approach the closing weeks of conference play.

What stood out statistically

• Halftime margin: LMU led 37–20, effectively determining the game script.

• Second-half scoring: San Diego scored 43 after the break, but the deficit remained too large to erase.

• Efficient supporting scoring: Vide’s 6-for-8 shooting provided LMU an efficient complementary option alongside Shelley and Brown.

Final score: Loyola Marymount 83, San Diego 63 (San Diego led by Ford with 14; LMU led by Shelley with 24).

Next matchup between the teams already scheduled

The two programs are set to meet again on Feb. 21 in San Diego, creating a near-term opportunity for the Toreros to respond at home and for the Lions to pursue a season sweep in conference play.