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The Loyola Marymount Lions open their 2012-2013 basketball campaign by hosting the Pacifica Gladiators at Gersten Pavilion. This is the first meeting between the two schools, as Pacifica begins its third year with a basketball team.
Anthony Ireland, who was second in the West Coast Conference last season in scoring at 16.1 points per game, is one of three returning starters for LMU. The junior guard is joined by fellow returning starting forwards Ashley Hamilton and Godwin Okonji.
The Lions won 21 games last season, and welcomes seven new players, including a quartet of talented freshmen forwards in Taj Adams, Nick Stover, Adam Drexler, and Marin Mornar.
Friday's 7 p.m. PT tip-off will not be televised but is available to view online at LMULions.com. The radio broadcast will be on 88.9 FM KXLU, with Jesse Kass on the call. Friday's game is one of six games involving WCC teams on Friday night, with the highlight game likely San Francisco traveling to battle Stanford at Oracle Arena in Oakland.
LMU was 12-8 at home last season.