Pacific Tiger guard #2 Elias Ralph shoots a midrange jumper in the 2nd half on February 11th, 2026, at the Alex G. Spanos Center in Stockton, CA. (Photo Credits to Michael Villanueva)
By Michael Villanueva
STOCKTON – On Wednesday night at the Alex G. Spanos Center, the Pacific Tigers men’s basketball team defeated Loyola Marymount 65–59 in another exciting home game, heading to their first winning season in six years.
With four regular-season games left and at least one meeting certain in the WCC Tournament, Pacific came into the meeting with an overall record of 16–10 and a 7–6 record in the West Coast Conference. The program secured its first winning season since the 2019–20 season and only the third since the Tigers returned to the WCC in 2013–14 with a win over LMU.
The Tigers had a 10-1 record inside the Spanos Center, proving their dominance at home throughout the season. The program’s best home success rate since Pacific’s 12-1 home record in the 2004– 05 season was achieved with a home winning percentage of 0.909. The Tigers’ home record was 819–463 overall, with a 356–230 record at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
In addition, Pacific started the evening alone in fourth place in the WCC standings, one game ahead of Washington State, San Francisco, and Oregon State. The game was crucial for positioning in the final stretch since a No. 3 or No. 4 seed would guarantee a bye into the conference tournament’s quarterfinal round on Sunday, March 7.
The two sides had different trends going into the game. The Lions had a 3–7 record over their last 10 games, while the Tigers had a 6–4 record.
Justin Rochelin, Jaden Clayton, TJ Wainwright, Elias Ralph, and Isaac Jack made up Pacific’s starting five. With an average of 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, Ralph had been the Tigers’ top scorer. Over the last ten games, Wainwright averaged 14.6 points and 4.0 rebounds, demonstrating a consistent scoring presence.
The starting lineup for LMU included Rick Issanza, Aaron McBride, Rodney Brown Jr., Myron Amey Jr., and Jan Vide. Brown Jr., who averaged 2.9 made three-pointers per game, scored 14.2 points, and shot 38.8 percent from beyond the arc, had been a vital perimeter danger for the Lions. Shelley had also been a consistent contributor for LMU, averaging 14 points and 5.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
After defeating San Francisco 84-75 on the road and San Diego 83-63 at home, LMU came to Stockton with a lot of energy. Pacific was ranked No. 102 in the NCAA NET Rankings, ahead of LMU at No. 160, despite the Lions’ recent success. Pacific’s highest-ever finish, No. 110, was also obtained during the 2019–20 season, which marked the introduction of the NET Rankings.
Rodney Brown Jr. made a jumper to give Loyola Marymount the lead early in the game, but Pacific quickly answered with a jumper of their own from Elias Ralph. As the first half went on, the Tigers found it hard to get into an offensive rhythm despite their quick response.
The Lions controlled the game for most of the first half, holding the lead for nearly 16 minutes, while the Tigers led for just over two. LMU’s defensive pressure disrupted Pacific throughout the half, holding the Tigers to just 29 percent shooting from the field. After the first 10 minutes, LMU had built a 10-point advantage. With 7:30 remaining in the first half, Pacific was shooting just 21 percent from the floor, going 4-of-19.
At halftime, the Tigers trailed 31–25. Although Pacific outrebounded LMU 19–13, shooting efficiency proved to be the difference. The Tigers connected on just one of seven three-point attempts, while the Lions made five of 12 shots from long range. Pacific did find success in the paint, scoring 12 of its 25 first-half points inside, but struggles elsewhere prevented the Tigers from closing the gap before the break.
Elias Ralph sparked Pacific’s incredible comeback in the second half. He energized the Tigers and started a comeback with a made three-pointer to start the half. Ralph then led a 7-0 scoring run with a hook shot and a layup on a cut to the hoop. Pacific took advantage of LMU’s lack of scoring for the first two minutes of the second half. The score was tied 36–36 after the first 4 minutes of the half.
The Tigers then took the lead on a layup from guard Jaden Clayton, 38–36, and extended it immediately with a three-pointer from Justin Rochelin. Pacific would never relinquish the lead, erupting on a 25–5 run over nine minutes. Ralph was instrumental, finishing the game with 22 points and 7 rebounds, making 8 of 9 shots in the second half alone. TJ Wainwright contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds, while Clayton and Rochelin provided key support in crunch time. By the time eight minutes remained, Pacific had already outscored its first-half total, putting 28 points on the board in the second frame.
LMU briefly cut the lead during a four-minute scoreless stretch for the Tigers, narrowing the gap to nine points. However, Wainwright hit a clutch basket with 1:30 remaining to push the lead back to 11 and seal the win for Pacific.
The starting five of the Tigers overcame LMU’s early lead with a mix of effective defense and effective scoring play. Rodney Brown Jr. remained a perimeter threat for LMU, but the Lions were unable to keep up their domination in the first half.
With their win, Pacific moved one step closer to its first winning season since 2019–20, improving to 17–10 overall and 8–6 in West Coast Conference play. The Tigers prepared for the WCC Tournament by maintaining their momentum throughout the rest of the regular season.
In an attempt to hold onto their winning season as much as possible and keep gaining ground in West Coast Conference play, the Pacific Tigers will take on the St. Mary’s Gaels on February 14, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Alex G. Spanos Center in Stockton, California.
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