Loyola’s Struggles Continue : WCC: Lions fall to Santa Clara, 71-62, for fourth loss in a row and seventh in eight games.

The dejected look of forward Zan Mason mirrored the mood of Loyola Marymount after a 71-62 defeat Friday night against Santa Clara at Gersten Pavilion.

“It’s been pretty frustrating,� Mason said. “We just feel helpless. If we knew what was wrong, we would have corrected it a long time ago.�

Unfortunately for Loyola, no one seems to have a solution. The Lions lost their fourth consecutive game and seventh in the last eight, falling to 7-14 overall and 2-7 in the West Coast Conference, tied with Portland for last place.

Santa Clara, defeating Loyola for the second time in less than a week, improved to 11-10 and 5-4. The Broncos took a 10-point halftime lead and led by at least six the rest of the game.

“Sure, it’s frustrating,� Loyola Coach John Olive said. “No one likes to lose. I think we’re playing hard, but we’re not doing the basic, fundamental things we need to do.�

One of the them is taking care of the ball. Loyola committed 24 turnovers, negating the team’s 53.5% shooting. Center Brian McCloskey led the Lions with 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting and nine rebounds.

Mason, Loyola’s leading scorer with a 16-point average, continued his personal slump, scoring only five points. He has averaged only eight points during the last five games.

“It just seems like I can’t touch the ball that much,� said Mason, who made two of four shots. “I couldn’t get into the flow of the game.�

Point guard Bill Mazurie, Loyola’s second-leading scorer, didn’t start, didn’t score and played only 16 minutes because of a pulled groin muscle.

Forward DeWayne Lewis, a junior from Hamilton High, led Santa Clara with 18 points.

Loyola, held to 16 first-half points in last Saturday’s 80-57 defeat at Santa Clara, got off to another poor start against the Broncos.

After falling behind, 11-2, Loyola pulled within 17-16 before Santa Clara went on a 13-0 run.