NAPLES, Florida—The LC Men's Basketball team fell 69-54 on Tuesday to Pacific Lutheran University out of Tacoma, Washington, dropping to 7-4 on the season. The loss puts the Panthers 1-1 in the two-day Naples Shootout, after winning a thriller the previous day versus Eastern Nazarene.
The Panthers fell behind early in the first period, and midway through the half LC trailed 20-12. The team battled and kept the PLU lead at eight entering halftime.
LaGrange kept clawing, and a Zac Hill dunk with 12 ½ minutes to go put LC down only by 7, 48-41. PLU kept the pressure on and extended the lead to 14 with just nine minutes remaining. The lead grew for PLU, but late threes by Grant Evans and Tayshawn Pendleton cut the margin to 15 at the buzzer. The loss ends the Panthers' two-game winning streak.
LC was held to a season low on points at 54. Hill and Camerin Lyons led the team in scoring, with Lyons going for 13 and Hill for 10. Lyons also tied a team-high four rebounds with two others, Bershard Edwards and Gabe Cofield. Both players had six points each. Edwards and Lyons led the team in assists with three each.
LC will take a Christmas break before heading to Oglethorpe University to play in the Jack Berkshire Classic against Sewanee and Oglethorpe on December 29and 30.
Story by Eli Rogers
