STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific men's basketball team earned its first West Coast Conference win of the season Saturday afternoon, defeating Loyola Marymount, 78-72,  at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
"This team is bracing some adversity, and I think they responded today," Head Coach Leonard Perry said after the game. "I was very impressed how we defended in the first half, giving us a chance to build a lead."
 
Led by a balanced offensive attack, the Tigers (8-9, 1-1) had three players score in double figures, led by a career-high 23 points from Nick Blake. Blake shot 50 percent (seven-for-14) from the floor throughout the game and led the team with two three-point baskets. The junior from Las Vegas, Nev., also tied a season-high in free throws, connecting on seven of his eight attempts.
 
Jordan Ivy-Curry and Keylan Boone also helped propel the Tigers to a win as the duo combined for 21 points. Boone, shooting 57.1 percent (four-for-seven) from the field, tallied 10 points, while Ivy-Curry added 11 points off the bench.
 
Defensively, Boone and Ivy-Curry collected four rebounds apiece, while Cam Denson added a career-high four blocks to keep the Lions (11-4, 1-1) at bay.
 
After the Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead to begin the game, the Tigers quickly responded, embarking on an 18-6 run to take a 10-point advantage, 18-8, at the 12:04 mark of the first half. Never relinquishing the lead, the Tigers ballooned their largest lead to 16, 28-12, during the first 20 minutes of play.
 
The Lions finished the first half strong, using a 17-6 run to close the deficit to five, 34-29, at the halftime break.
 
Leading wire-to-wire throughout the second half, the Tigers fought off multiple scoring runs for the Lions. With the game in hand, the Tigers used free throws and critical buckets from Blake and Tyler Beard to secure the six-point win.
 
Pacific returns to action at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, as the Tigers hit the road to take on San Diego at the Jenny Craig Pavilion.