Loyola’s Press Leads to an Impressive Win Over Holy Cross, 127-104

The Holy Cross Crusaders used to go into battle with superior weapons--Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn, for example.

They invaded Loyola Marymount Wednesday night and found themselves on the receiving end of some high-powered artillery. The result was the most points ever scored against the Crusaders, a 127-104 victory that gave the Lions a four-game winning streak to end a successful homestand.

If the Lions didn’t quite reach guard Corey Gaines’ goal--as he waited to check in at the scorer’s table at one point he admonished his mates, “C’mon baby, we need 150�--they scored enough to break the record against Holy Cross by four points, and increase their scoring average to 110 a game.

Fairfield had scored 123 against Holy Cross in 1977-78.

The Lions now hit the road with a 7-3 record, while Holy Cross returns home 4-5.

Loyola effectively put the game away with spurts at the start of each half keyed by its full-court press.

In fact, believe it or not, Lion Coach Paul Westhead said this game was decided by good defense. “Nonbelievers,� he said, “just have to come see the game. We played very good defense. We shoot the ball so fast the other team gets it back fast.�

The Lions’ bothersome press gave them to a 10-0 lead at the start and another 9-0 run to open the second half. Loyola forced 24 turnovers.

“The scary thing is when (the press) is working it makes it look easy,� Westhead said. “It really isn’t. The points go up so fast it looks like a rollover and it wasn’t. Holy Cross is a really good team.�

But it could have used Cousy and Heinsohn. And maybe Bill Russell.

By intermission, Loyola had set a record for points in a half against Holy Cross. The Lions held a 73-54 lead and already had six players in double figures, led by Jeff Fryer’s 15 and Mike Yoest’s 12.

The Lions’ halftime total--which was nine points better then the old record against Holy Cross by Connecticut in 1977-78--was bolstered by 30 free throws, of which they converted 23.

The Lions scored 10 points before Holy Cross got on the board, and reached a lead of 22 at 40-18. Fryer sparked the early streak, hitting three quick three-pointers and shooting 5 for 5 in the half. Yoest chipped in with 4-for-4 accuracy as the Lions shot 60% in the half including 6 of 9 from three-point range.

Loyola quickly inflated the lead to 28, opening the second half with a 9-0 burst as Fryer hit another three-pointer and Hank Gathers got hot inside. The 82-54 lead was the Lions’ biggest, but the Crusaders never got closer than 91-73 with 12 minutes left.

Gathers finished as Loyola’s scoring leader with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Bo Kimble had 23 points off the bench and Fryer followed with 20 on 7-of-9 shooting (4-of-6 three-pointers). Yoest and Mark Armstrong scored 16 apiece and Gaines had 13 points and 11 assists.

The Lions shot 50.6%, made 32 of 46 free throws and hit 9 of 19 three-pointers.

The lone bright spot for Holy Cross was forward Glenn Tropf, who scored a career-best 28 points.