Gathers Sets Record <i> His</i> Way : Loyola Marymount: Slam dunk off a rebound gives him West Coast Conference career-scoring mark. Lions beat Gonzaga.

Without a real challenge from Gonzaga Friday night, Loyola Marymount looked elsewhere for motivation.

The spark in the Lions’ 144-100 victory came with 12:25 left in the game when Hank Gathers scored his 20th and 21st points to break the West Coast Conference career-scoring mark of 2,060 points set by Loyola’s Forrest McKenzie four years ago.

Gathers finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds, and fellow seniors Bo Kimble and Jeff Fryer scored 30 and 27 to pace the easy victory, Loyola’s fifth in a row. The Lions (12-3, 3-0 in the WCC) meet Portland tonight. Gonzaga fell to 6-10 and 1-2.

“It’s kind of appropriate (Gathers) went over the top for a follow-up slam dunk (for the record),” Loyola Coach Paul Westhead said. “That’s what Hank stands for: ‘You shoot it, I’ll get it.’ ”

Gathers agreed. “What better way to break the record than on a follow-up dunk?” he said. “It was sweet. A layup or regular jump shot would’ve been boring.”

Loyola had the game in hand early, scoring 14 consecutive points to pull to a 24-7 lead.

Kimble had 20 points and Gathers 15 by halftime, when Loyola led, 59-45.

Gathers broke the record when he flew through the lane for a two-hand dunk off a missed shot to give the Lions a 86-64 lead. The game was stopped and Gathers was presented the ball. Gathers said he wasn’t aware he was near the record until Friday morning, when David Spencer, who originally recruited him and Kimble for USC, told him.

“I told him he shouldn’t have called me,” Gathers said. “He ruined the surprise.”

The Lions hit 100 points with nine minutes to play on a three-point shot by Fryer.

“For all they’ve (the three seniors) done here, it’s a tribute that one of them stands atop (the WCC),” Westhead said. “Give ‘em enough games, Fryer and Kimble will also get it.”