Preview: Loyola Marymount Lions at Seattle Redhawks

SEATTLE (Interstat) — The Seattle Redhawks look to rebound from a lopsided conference loss when they host the Loyola Marymount Lions in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Key Arena.

Seattle (13-7) enters the contest having dropped four of its last five games, including a 71-50 defeat at home to Gonzaga on Saturday. The Redhawks’ offense has struggled during the skid, failing to reach 70 points in three of those four losses. They will aim to rediscover their early-season form, which included a 70-66 victory over in-state rival Washington.

Loyola Marymount (11-10) seeks to halt a three-game losing streak, most recently a 71-58 home loss to Portland. The Lions have faced a grueling schedule, with five of their last six games on the road, where they are 1-4 in that stretch. Defense has been a concern, as opponents have averaged 80.2 points over the last five contests.

A key matchup will feature Loyola Marymount’s leading scorer, Jalen Shelley, against Seattle’s perimeter defense. Shelley is averaging 16.1 points over his last eight games, including a 19-point effort against Portland. The Lions rely heavily on his production, especially during offensive droughts.

For Seattle, forward Houran Dan provides a spark off the bench. He scored 10 points in 17 minutes against Gonzaga and will be counted on for energy and rebounding against a physical LMU frontcourt. The Redhawks need more consistent scoring beyond guard Brayden Maldonado, who had 12 points in the Gonzaga loss.

The game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with a rematch scheduled for Feb. 28 in Los Angeles. Seattle holds the better overall record, but both teams are looking to improve their positioning in the WCC standings after recent setbacks.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST at Key Arena.