LMU Basketball 2024-25 Preview: Can Stan Johnson’s Lions Rebound with Key Transfers?
LMU Basketball 2024-25: Stan Johnson's Fifth Season Brings High Expectations with Jevon Porter and Key Transfers
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) enters the 2024-25 season looking to bounce back from a challenging 12-19 campaign, where they finished 6th in the WCC.
Head coach Stan Johnson is at the helm for his fifth season, with the ultimate goal of getting LMU into the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1990.
This offseason was busy for the Lions. LMU brought in several key transfers, including standout forward Jevon Porter from Pepperdine.
Overview
Loyola Marymount Univerity (Los Angeles, CA)
1x Elite Eight
2x Sweet Sixteen
5 NCAA tournament appearances
Last season: 12-19 (5-11); 6th in WCC
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Stan Johnson (4 seasons at LMU, 55-58 (.487))
Assistants: Lorenzo Romar, Rickey Muench, Louis Wilson
Did you know? In 1990, LMU averaged 122.4 points per game.
Offseason Changes
Key Departures: Dominick Harris (UCLA)
Incoming Transfers & Freshmen: Forward - Jevon Porter (Pepperdine), Forward - Caleb Stone- Carrawell (Utah State), Guard - Myron “MJ” Amey Jr. (San Jose State), Forward - Jan Video (UCLA), Center - Matar Diop (Nebraska), Forward - Jael Martin (Carlsbad HS), Marley Zeller (Central Catholic)
Key Returning Players: Alex Merkviladze, Will Johnston, Rick Issanza, Aaron McBride, Lamaj Lewis, Jovan Ristic
Projected Starting Lineup
G - Will Johnston, 6-3 (Sr.) (11.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.7apg, .378 3PT)
G - Myron “MJ” Amey Jr., 6-2 (RS Jr.) (15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg)
F - Caleb Stone-Carrawell, 6-7 (Sixth Year) (11.7 ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.6apg, .339 3PT)
F - Alex Merkviladze, 6-8 (Gr.) (12.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.5apg, .352 3PT)
F - Jevon Porter, 6-11 (Jr.) (16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 bpg, .8 spg)
Three Points:
Jevon Porter is the Player to Watch.
Stan Johnson brought in a haul of transfers, including Jevon Porter from Pepperdine. Porter comes to LMU, along with his former head coach at Pepperdine, Lorenzo Romar, who is now an assistant coach for the Lions. Jevon Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., emerged as one of the top scorers in the WCC last season, averaging 16.2 points per game as a sophomore. With a 6-11 frame and a good touch around the rim, the LMU offense will likely focus on feeding him the ball in the post.
Can LMU rebound and get stops?
If you take a look at the projected starting five, you’ll notice that all five starters averaged double-digit scoring last season. Three of the five are transfers, so their numbers are likely to go down, but it’s clear that this reloaded LMU team has players who can score. But will this team be able to rebound and defend to compete with the WCC’s top teams?
Johnson told the Blue Ribbon Yearbook that the “team has a chance to really, really be a good offensive rebounding team.” In the projected starting five, Merkviladze is the top returning rebounder at 7.2 rpg, but LMU will need the other four to hit the boards. Porter averaged 5.9 rpg, so he figures to shoulder a significant portion of that responsibility.
On defense, the Lions are ranked as the No. 205 team in defense on kenpom.com. To finish near the top of the WCC standings and to compete with the top teams in the conference, LMU will have to show it can be one of the better defensive units in the WCC.
Is Stan Johnson’s seat hot?
Johnson enters his fifth season at LMU and has compiled a .487 win percentage and a record of 55-58. His 2020-21 (13-9, 3rd in WCC) and 2022-23 (19-12, 4th in WCC) seasons are respectable. So far, he’s had more success than his predecessor, Mike Dunlap, whose highest finish in six years at LMU was 5th place (22-12, 5th in WCC). Dunlap finished with .429 win percentage and an 81-108 record.
This year is an important one for Johnson. If he can’t finish in the top 4 of the WCC, especially with this transfer haul, you would have to think LMU athletic director Craig Pintens may consider moving in another direction.
