LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — Myron Amey scored 28 points and Jalen Shelley added 23 as Loyola Marymount dominated from the opening tip, cruising to a 91-57 victory over North Alabama in a nonconference men’s basketball game Friday night at Gersten Pavilion.

The host Lions of Loyola Marymount (8-4) never trailed, opening the game on a 9-0 run and building a 46-21 halftime lead. The visiting Lions of North Alabama (5-6) were unable to mount any significant challenge, shooting poorly throughout and struggling to handle Loyola Marymount’s offensive firepower and defensive pressure.

The most important part of the game was its decisive start. Loyola Marymount set the tone immediately, winning the opening tip and scoring on its first possession when Rodney Brown connected on a 3-pointer just 35 seconds into the game. North Alabama’s Corneilous Williams answered with a layup, but Loyola Marymount then unleashed a burst that put the game out of reach early. A 3-pointer by Amey, another by Brown, and a free throw by Amey capped a 9-0 response, pushing the lead to 12-2 less than four minutes into the contest.

North Alabama never recovered from that initial onslaught. The visitors shot a frigid percentage from the field in the first half, missing repeated attempts at the rim against Loyola Marymount’s interior defense, which tallied multiple early blocks from Rokas Jocius and Amey. Meanwhile, Amey and Shelley were unstoppable, combining for 29 points in the opening period. Amey’s third 3-pointer of the half gave Loyola Marymount a 31-13 advantage, and the lead ballooned to 25 by the intermission after a late 3-pointer by Amey, assisted by Shelley.

The second half offered no respite for North Alabama. Loyola Marymount opened the period with a 7-0 spurt, featuring five points from Shelley, to extend the margin to 53-21. The lead would grow as large as 37 points as Loyola Marymount’s offense continued to operate efficiently, and its defense consistently generated stops and turnovers.

Amey, a guard from Vacaville, California, was the catalyst, hitting five 3-pointers and adding two assists and a block in 30 minutes of action. His backcourt mate, Shelley from Little Elm, Texas, was equally potent, shooting efficiently from the field and the free-throw line while contributing three assists and two blocks. Brown finished with 14 points and three assists, and Jan Vide of Slovenia orchestrated the offense with a team-high six assists to go with 10 points.

North Alabama was led by Corneilous Williams, who scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Cortez Graham-Howard added nine points and two blocks off the bench. The team’s offensive struggles were comprehensive, as they failed to crack 40% shooting from the field or from 3-point range.

Loyola Marymount, which entered the game as a 9.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, easily covered the spread. The combined score of 148 points went over the projected total of 136.5. The win improved Loyola Marymount’s home record and provided a bounce-back performance following a loss to UC San Diego earlier in the week.

North Alabama, which has lost two straight, continues a difficult road stretch and will look to regroup before its ASUN Conference schedule begins in January. Loyola Marymount will host Morgan State on Tuesday in its final game before Christmas.

The victory was a comprehensive team effort for Loyola Marymount, which shared the ball effectively, defended with intensity, and capitalized on its significant advantages in athleticism and shooting. The early knockout punch in the game’s first five minutes rendered the final 35 minutes a formality, as the home Lions comfortably controlled the tempo and the scoreboard to secure their eighth win of the season.