SPOKANE, Wash. — Cam Shelton cashed in a go-ahead with 13 seconds left and Loyola Marymount ended No. 6 Gonzaga’s 76-game home winning streak with a 68-67 victory Thursday night.
The Bulldogs’ home streak (16-4, 5-1 West Coast Conference) had been the eighth-longest in Division I history. It included a Nov. 20 win over Kentucky in an on-site game. neutral at Spokane Arena, which the NCAA considered a home game for Gonzaga.
Shelton scored 27 points to lead the Lions (14-7, 4-3), who hadn’t won in Spokane since 1991 and had dropped 25 straight to the Zags.
“For us, this is another sign that our program is moving in the right direction, and that’s the most important thing,” Loyola Marymount coach Stan Johnson said. “Not many people are going to come here and win, so I think it stands up and validates the guys we have in the locker room and all the things we’ve tried to accomplish.”
Gonzaga had won 83 consecutive matches against unranked opponents, including 46 at home.
“The home streak is over,” Zags coach Mark Few said. “It was going to end one day and it ended in a hard and tough battle. Our guys fought back and had a chance to continue. … I don’t think anyone will touch that [streak] for a while.”
The Bulldogs’ January 36-game winning streak has also come to an end. They had won 11 games in a row since losing to Baylor on December 2.
Jalin Anderson added 15 points and Keli Leaupepe had 11 for the Lions. Loyola Marymount led up to nine in the second half and held off Gonzaga’s late run.
LMU led 66-59 with 2:55 left after Shelton’s 3-pointer, but the Zags scored the next eight points to take a 67-66 lead on Drew Timme’s free throw with 41 seconds left. As the shot clock ticked down, Shelton converted a runner just outside the lane to give the Lions the lead, and Timme’s final attempt for a winner was partially blocked by Leaupepe.
Shelton’s shrewd play was crucial for the Lions in the final minutes.
“Cam’s had a really great year so far and I think he’s put the pressure on them to get in the paint,” Johnson said. “I think he made good decisions finding his guys and I think he had good composure, and that’s what you expect from a veteran playmaker.”
Timme led the Zags with 17 points. Nolan Hickman had 12 points and six assists for the Zags, who were coming off a 115-75 win over Portland on Saturday.
Gonzaga struggled from the field, shooting 44.4% overall and going 4 of 14 (28.6%) from 3-point range and 15 of 23 (65.2%) from the free throw line.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
