Preview: Portland Pilots at Loyola Marymount Lions

LOS ANGELES (Interstat) — West Coast Conference men’s basketball play continues Saturday as the Loyola Marymount Lions host the Portland Pilots at Gersten Pavilion.

The Lions (11-9 overall) enter looking to halt a three-game skid, most recently a 76-70 loss at Oregon State on Wednesday. Guard Myron Amey led LMU with 18 points in that defeat. Amey has been a key scorer for the Lions, including a 28-point performance in a win over North Alabama last month, but his production has been inconsistent in conference play.

Portland (9-11) also seeks to rebound from a narrow road loss, falling 67-63 at Pepperdine on Wednesday. The Pilots have shown resilience, however, winning two of their last five, including an overtime victory over Pacific and a win against Oregon State.

The matchup features two guards in strong recent form. Portland’s Joel Foxwell is averaging a near double-double over his last five games, posting 20 points and 10 assists against Santa Clara and 27 points against Pacific. He recorded a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists in the loss to Pepperdine.

LMU’s Amey is coming off his highest-scoring game in WCC play this season with the 18-point effort at Oregon State. The Lions will need him to provide consistent offense alongside Rodney Brown, who added 17 points in the midweek loss.

Defensive execution may prove critical. Both teams have struggled to contain opponents in losses, with each allowing over 100 points in a conference game this month. Portland’s ability to handle LMU’s pressure and the Lions’ capacity to slow Foxwell’s playmaking could decide the outcome.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. PST on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. Loyola Marymount’s next game is at Seattle on Jan. 21, while Portland hosts Saint Mary’s on Jan. 24.