This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Provo • BYU fans didn't get the opportunity to watch one of the West Coast Conference's best players do his thing on Saturday night.
High-scoring sophomore Evan Payne, who averages 20 points per game, watched in street clothes from the LMU bench.
LMU basketball spokesperson John Shaffer said Payne was held out of the game due to a "coach's decision." He said Payne didn't violate team rules and was not injured, but he didn't elaborate further.
Flint's finale
Chase Flint, a senior guard from Fruit Heights who prepped at Davis High and played a season at the College of Eastern Utah, made his final appearance at the Marriott Center on Saturday night.
Flint recently married LMU volleyball player Betsi Metter, an accomplished beach volleyball player who will likely play on the AVP Tour. Flint has already earned his bachelor's degree in communication and is working on a master's degree in educational studies.
Flint entered the game averaging just 1.4 points and 1.6 rebounds per game, as his playing time has been reduced under new LMU coach Mike Dunlap.
Interestingly, the Utahn was LMU's only American starter on Saturday. The Lions also started two Nigerians — Ayodeji Egbeyemi and Godwin Okonji — and players from Croatia (Marin Mornar) and Australia (David Humphreys). The Lions' roster includes nine players from the United States and eight foreigners.
Pepperdine gets a road sweep
Maybe Pepperdine's 67-61 win over BYU on Thursday wasn't a fluke after all. The Waves validated the win with another one Saturday, downing San Diego 59-47 to complete the weekend road sweep.
After dropping 23 points on BYU at the Marriott Center, Pepperdine sophomore forward Stacy Davis had 18 at Jenny Craig Pavilion against the Toreros. The Waves are 4-1 in league play, their best five-game start in the WCC since 2002.
Briefly
Former LMU guard Anthony Ireland, known for giving BYU fits the past three seasons, is playing professionally in France. … Former BYU football star Kyle Van Noy attended the game, six days after his Detroit Lions were eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys in an NFL playoff game.
Twitter: @drewjay