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WCC Basketball: In-depth look at Mattias Markusson of Loyola Marymount

By Bryan Mauro

Feb 15, 2018; Spokane, WA, USA; Loyola Marymount Lions center Mattias Markusson (14) tries to save the basketball from going outbounds during the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2018; Spokane, WA, USA; Loyola Marymount Lions center Mattias Markusson (14) tries to save the basketball from going outbounds during the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /
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WCC Basketball
WCC Basketball Mattias Markusson (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Loyola Marymount didn’t have a great past season in WCC Basketball. With  Mattias Markusson back, the Lions look to improve.

1988-1989 was the last season that the Loyola Marymount Lions made the NCAA tournament, since then it has been a lot of mediocrity. The Lions have finished no higher than third in the conference since. Since the 1999-2000 season, a season that saw the Lions go 2-26, the program has had four winning seasons and has not been anywhere close to an NCAA tournament berth.

In defense of the Lions, the West Coast Conference has gotten much better over that time frame and one of the schools in that league the Gonzaga Bulldogs have become one of the five most successful programs in the NCAA over the last five years. With the emergence of Gonzaga and St. Mary’s continuing their prestige it has been tough for any other school in the league, the Lions included.

Loyola Marymount had their best season in almost two decades in 2018-2019 when they won 22 games and finished 8-8 in the WCC. Last season the Lions regressed back to their mean over the last two decades and won only 11 games.

The Lions had something in 2018-2019 that they did not have last year and that was 7’3” Swedish big man Mattias Markusson. Markusson didn’t play last year and the Lions felt it in every single way on the floor. They struggled to compete with the top teams in this conference especially down low. Markusson changes the way the Lions play and makes them a completely different team.

Head Coach Stan Johnson is excited that he has his large center back for his senior year, and hopefully his presence will help lead Loyola Marymount to another winning season.