WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL : Loyola Is Up Front About Its Chances : Preview: Lions have wealth of talent inside as they try to improve on last season’s 14-12 record.

The success of the Loyola Marymount women’s basketball team may rest in its front court.

With 6-foot-1 senior Sheri Brown at power forward, 6-5 sophomore Amy Lundquist at center and 6-1 Tanya White at small forward, the Lions’ inside game should be tough to contain.

West Coast Conference coaches have picked Loyola to finish second in the eight-team league after a last-place finish in 1992-93.

“This is as good a team as I’ve had here,” said Loyola Coach Todd Corman, in his ninth season at the school. “I have a lot of confidence in this team. We will play a physical, power-oriented game. Our overall depth is great too. We’re not going to run out of gas like we did last year.”

Also back from last season’s 14-12 club is sophomore point guard Marlee Webb. The 5-foot-7 Webb averaged 6.5 points, four assists and three rebounds a game.

But the player to watch is Brown. She led the Lions in scoring (16.2) and rebounding (10.3) as a junior.

Brown was twice named WCC player of the week and was a WCC first-team selection. She has been named the preseason WCC player of year by NCAA Preview magazine.

“We expect Sheri to do everything,” Corman said. “She is our best player and she will have a very good year. She is our leader on and off the floor.”

Brown spent the summer training in her hometown of Fresno.

“I don’t think I had the best season possible last year,” Brown said. “There is a lot of room for me to improve. I really think I’m going to have a great season. It’s my last year and I’m just going to play my best.”

Lundquist, who was the WCC freshman of the year, added bulk in the off-season in hopes of improving her averages of 11.6 points and eight rebounds.

“She gained 10 to 15 pounds so she has a stronger upper body,” Corman said. “She won’t get pushed around as much as she did last year. She’s better now than she was last year when conference ended.”

White averaged 8.3 points and 5.2 assists in 1992-93.

The shooting guard spot vacated by Jamie Jesko, who completed her eligibility, will be filled by freshmen Latisha Beam and Amber Magner. The 5-9 Beam averaged 18.3 points and 10 rebounds as a senior at Palmdale High. The 5-8 Magner averaged 19.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a senior at Palmer High in Alaska.

“They’re very different players,” Corman said. “Latisha is extremely quick, probably the quickest player we’ve ever had here. She moves like a cat on the floor. Amber is an outstanding shooter who goes to the basket hard.”

Sophomore Lianne Ishikawa, a transfer from Cal State Fullerton, will eligible in mid-December. The 5-4 Ishikawa, who redshirted last season, was named to the Big West freshman team.

“She is going to make our team more up-tempo,” Corman said. “We’ve seen it at practice and will see it in games.”

The Lions will open against Northern Illinois on Friday at the Hawaii Tournament in Honolulu. Loyola’s nonconference schedule includes Northern Illinois, San Diego State and Texas, which competed in the NCAA tournament, and Nevada Las Vegas, which played in the National Invitational Tournament.

Loyola starts WCC play on Jan. 14 at St. Mary’s.