This excerpt of "Miracles on the Hardwood: The Hope-And-A-Prayer Story of a Winning Tradition In Catholic College Basketball," by John Gasaway, is presented with permission from Twelve Books. For more information or to order a copy, visit Twelve Books, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Loyola Marymount easily captured the regular-season title in what was now called, as of 1989-90, the West Coast Conference. The conference tournament was scheduled to be held that year on the Lions' home floor, where Paul Westhead's team was bracketed with Gonzaga in the quarterfinals. After LMU won by 37 points, Bulldogs coach Dan Fitzgerald was asked if an early 10-0 run by Loyola had been the game's turning point. "The turning point may have been breakfast," he answered.
Gathers had accounted for 28 of his team's 121 points. "I'm the most doctor-tested man alive," he liked to say. His mother was in town for the tournament, and that Friday, Gathers told a reporter from Channel 2 in Los Angeles, "I feel great. I'm in the best shape of my life. My mom's out here, and I'm looking forward to some good home cooking." Gathers also informed a different reporter that his medication by this point was "almost down to nothing."