Loyola Marymount ends 14-game losing streak by beating Portland

Ashley Hamilton scored 21 points, Anthony Ireland added 12 and Loyola Marymount ended a 14-game losing streak with a 65-54 win over Portland in first-round action of the West Coast Conference tournament Wednesday night in Las Vegas.

The Pilots made it a two possession game after Bryce Pressley hit two free throws to make it 60-54 with 28 seconds left but Portland committed three turnovers in its final three possessions and ninth-seeded Loyola Marymount (9-22) held on for the win.

Hamilton was 8 for 12 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds for the Lions, which played Portland for the second time in three years and the fifth in the last 10 years in WCC tournament play.

Kevin Bailey scored 21 points to lead Portland (11-21) and Ryan Nicholas had 18 points and nine rebounds.

Loyola Marymount will play fifth-seeded San Francisco in the second round of the WCC tournament today. The Dons received a first-round bye.

Women

San Francisco 80, Pepperdine 48: Five players scored in double-digits as the Dons dominated the Waves in first round play of the West Coast Conference tournament Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Eighth-seeded USF won its first postseason game since 2007.

Senior Mel Khlok had a game high 19 points on a prefect 13-for-13 from the free throw line. Bailey Barbour had 14 points and 12 rebounds to power the Dons inside. Zhane Dikes and Taj Winston each scored 16 points for San Francisco.

Pepperdine was doomed by an 0-for-18 outing from 3-point range and was unable to overturn an early 20-point deficit. Keitra Wallace led the Waves with 19 points.

San Francisco will play fifth-seeded Loyola Marymount in the second round of the WCC tournament today.