CAL WINS EMERALD BOWL - PEPP IN OAHU

Cal Tops Miami in Emerald Bowl
Jahvid Best rushed for a bowl-record 186 yards and two touchdowns in the contest
Dec. 27, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Zack Follett forced a fumble by Jacory Harris deep in Miami territory with 3:28 left, and Anthony Miller scored the go-ahead touchdown on his first career catch moments later in California's 24-17 victory in the Emerald Bowl on Saturday night.
Jahvid Best rushed for a bowl-record 186 yards and two touchdowns, yet the Golden Bears (9-4) still needed a big defensive play and an unlikely hero to hold off the Hurricanes (7-6) in front of a Bay Area crowd teeming with screaming Cal fans.
Harris played well in the freshman's second career start, going 25-of-41 for 194 yards and two TDs while subbing for the suspended Robert Marve. Harris had won 31 straight starts dating back to his high school career in South Florida, but his fumble cost the Hurricanes in their first bowl game under coach Randy Shannon.
Nate Longshore shook off a 10-for-21 performance in his final college game with that sharp scoring pass to Miller for Cal. The Golden Bears won for the fifth time in a school-record six consecutive bowl appearances under coach Jeff Tedford.
Laron Byrd and Thearon Collier caught Harris' scoring passes for Miami, which tied it on Matt Bosher's 22-yard field goal with 9:13 to play.

After Cal's Giorgio Tavecchio missed a 34-yard field goal with 4:24 left, Follett knocked the ball away from Harris while dropping the quarterback from behind on third down. Cameron Jordan recovered and returned it to the Miami 2, where Longshore connected with Miller, a freshman who hardly played this season.
Tedford chose Longshore to start his final college game instead of Kevin Riley, the Bears' starter for much of this year. "We couldn't let them come across the country and beat us in our backyard," Zack Follett
Marve was among five Miami players suspended in the days leading up to the game for violating team rules, and starting tight end Dedrick Epps was a last-minute scratch from the lineup with a bruised leg. Graig Cooper rushed for 63 yards and Lee Chambers added 60 for Miami, and tight end Craig Zellner made eight catches for 48 yards in Epps' place.
Bay Area fans clad in blue and gold filled all but a few thousand spots in the sold-out stadium, turning the San Francisco Giants' waterfront ballpark into a cross-Bay rendition of Strawberry Canyon with a bowl-record crowd of 42,268. The Bears' campus is roughly 12 miles from San Francisco, yet the team stayed in a hotel in the city during its week of preparation, crossing the Bay Bridge for daily practice in Berkeley.
Best finished the season with 1,580 yards rushing, which means Oregon State freshman Jacquizz Rodgers would need 328 yards in the Sun Bowl against Pittsburgh on Wednesday to overtake Best for the Pac-10 rushing title. Best, who finished with the second-highest rushing total in Cal history, all but locked up his first conference rushing crown with 311 yards in the Bears' regular season finale against Washington.
Jahvid Best lifts the game's MVP trophy. Longshore, who finished his career No. 2 in victories by a Cal starting quarterback, earned the starting spot after having two strong weeks of practice leading up to the game.
Verran Tucker, the junior receiver who surprisingly claimed a starting spot for Cal this season, took a short slant pass 74 yards to the Miami 2 midway through the first quarter, setting up Best's 1-yard TD run. The pass was the longest ever allowed by Miami in its lengthy bowl history.
A few minutes later, Best doubled back on an interior run and sprinted past the Hurricanes' fleet-footed defense for a 42-yard score. But Harris replied with a scoring drive culminating in Byrd's TD catch. Harris led a 10-play, 69-yard drive after halftime culminating in Collier's short TD catch to tie it at 14


’Bows Meet Waves On Final Day Of Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic
12/30/2008 9:06:24 AM
Game NotesUpdated Bracket

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warrior basketball team will play for the consolation championship in the final eight-team edition of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic. The ’Bows face Pepperdine of the West Coast Conference on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 5:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Buffalo and Colorado State with face off in the championship game at 7:30 p.m. The afternoon session will include Coppin State-George Washington at 11:00 a.m. in the 7th-place game and Vermont-Colorado in the 3rd-place game.

UH (7-4) is coming of a huge 73-47 win over George Washington, the most lopsided victory by the ’Bows this season. Roderick Flemings led the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while UH held the Colonials to just 14 first-half points on 25 percent shooting. Pepperdine (2-12), meanwhile, picked up just its second win of the season when it defeated Coppin State, 58-56, on a driving layup by Lorne Jackson in the closing seconds.
Pepperdine leads the series, 6-5, though UH has won the last four meetings, including three in Honolulu. This will be the first meeting between the teams since 1984. Following the Rainbow Classic, Hawai`i will begin Western Athletic Conference action with a pair of home games versus Boise State (Jan. 3) and Louisiana Tech (Jan. 5).

Game 12 Tip-Off Notes
What: 2008 Outrigger Hotel’s Rainbow Classic
Who: Hawai‘i (7-4) vs. Pepperdine (2-12)
When: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008
Time: 5:00 p.m. HT
Where: Stan Sheriff Center (10,300) - Honolulu, HI
Television: Live statewide on Oceanic Cable Pay-Per-View digital channel 255 with Jim
Leahey (play-by-play) and Artie Wilson (color). Call (808) 643-3333 to order. Rebroadcast Dec. 31
on KFVE-TV at 10:00 a.m.

Streaming Video: Live video streaming is available on uhstreaming.oceanic.com.
Radio: ESPN 1420 AM will carry the game live with Bobby Curran. Neighbor islands can listen live on KNUI on Maui, KPUA in Hilo, KMWB in Kona.
Audio Webcast: Live audio streaming on espn1420am.com
Live Stats: Live in-game stats are available at HawaiiAthletics.com
Ticket Information: Evening session tickets - $26 (lower); $18 (upper). Afternoon session tickets - $7 (general admission). Parking $3.
Coaches: Bob Nash (18-23) is in his second year at UH. Tom Asbury (127-71) is in his seventh year at Pepperdine.
Series Information: Pepperdine leads, 6-5.

Waves Fall Short at Hawaii, 78-70
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 12/30/2008

HONOLULU, Hawaii ­— The Pepperdine men’s basketball team put together a strong effort for much of the game, but Hawaii finally outlasted the Waves, 78-70, to claim fifth place at the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Tuesday evening.

Pepperdine (2-13) went 1-2 in the tournament to finish in sixth place. It was a two-point game with less than seven minutes to go before Hawaii (8-4) pulled away.

Freshman guard Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) scored a season-high 18 points, including 12 in the second half. Freshman guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) and freshman forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) each scored 12 points and senior guard Mike Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) tied his season high with 11.

After shooting 50.0% from the field in the first half to take a 39-38 lead at the break, the Waves cooled off and shot 26.7% (8-for-30) in the second to finish at 38.3% for the game. Hawaii ended at 52.2%.

“We just ran out of gas a little bit,” said Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury after his team played its third game in three days. “We had a lot of good shots that just didn’t drop. Hawaii played really well and ratcheted up their offense a bit.”

An early 10-0 run helped the Waves out to a 14-7 lead with 14 minutes left in the first half. Jackson began and ended the run with lay-ups, and Darby had two baskets in the paint.
Darby, who had 11 of his points in the first half, later had two interior baskets in a row to push Pepperdine’s lead back up to seven points again at 26-19 with 7 ½ minutes left. But Hawaii’s Lasha Parghalava would score eight straight points by himself to allow the Warriors to regain the lead at 29-27 with 4:25 to go.

The lead changed hands several times in the final minutes. Bell hit a pair of three-pointers, then made a steal on the defensive end and went all the way for a lay-up to give Pepperdine a 37-34 lead with 1:35 to go. Hawaii came back to grab a 38-37 advantage, but freshman forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep) made two free throws with 1.4 seconds left to send the Waves into halftime with a 39-38 lead.

Bell grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up and a 43-39 Pepperdine lead with 16:45 left, but the Waves’ shooting went cold, and Hawaii capitalized. Pepperdine went without a field goal for more than 5 ½ minutes and the Warriors went on a 10-2 run to take a 49-45 lead.

Both teams struggled to score for a stretch, and it was still just a two-point game at 53-51 with 6:53 to play after sophomore forward Mychel Thompson (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Stoneridge Prep) made a lay-up after a nice entry pass from Bell. Hawaii, however, scored the next seven points to build a 60-51 lead with less than five minutes to go.
Parghalava nailed his fifth three-pointer of the game and was fouled with 3:42 to play. He made the free throw to extend Hawaii’s lead to 66-54 with under four minutes left. The Warriors’ largest lead was 14 points at 68-54. Parghalava finished with a game-high 25 points, including 14 in the second half.

Hawaii did most of its damage from the free throw line in the second half, making 20 of 23. The Warriors were 24-for-27 (89%) from the line for the game.

The Waves tied a season low with 13 turnovers while forcing 21, and had a 24-13 edge in points off turnovers. Unlike Pepperdine’s first two games at the Rainbow Classic, this one didn’t come down to the final seconds. On Sunday, Buffalo’s Andy Robinson hit a jumper with 0.8 seconds left to give the Bulls a 72-71 win over the Waves. On Monday, Jackson made a driving lay-up with 6.6 seconds left and Coppin State missed a three-pointer at the buzzer in a 58-56 Pepperdine win.

Speaking about the entire tournament, Asbury said: “We played well and gained a lot from the tournament. We could have beaten Buffalo and were ahead at halftime tonight. We were in all three games, had a good experience and got better. We knew this season would be a struggle with eight freshmen, but we keep getting better.”

Of the nine players that saw action for the Waves, seven were freshmen or sophomores, and six weren’t on the roster last year. The Waves played their 11th straight game without Ryan Holmes (Phoenix, Ariz./Millennium HS/Phoenix CC), their starting point guard and one of just three seniors, who is sidelined by a knee injury. Sophomore forward Jonathan Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Marshall HS/Collin County CC), who sprained an ankle in the Georgia Tech game a little more than a week ago, did not play in this tournament.

The Waves return to Firestone Fieldhouse for their final non-conference game of the season on Saturday (Jan. 3) against Western Oregon at 2 p.m. Subscribers to “Wave Casts” at http://www.pepperdinesports.com/?DB_OEM_ID=18500 can watch the game and listen to Al Epstein’s call of the action.

UH Pulls Away From Pepperdine, 78-70; Buffalo Wins Rainbow Classic Title
12/30/2008 7:09:38 PM

HONOLULU – The University of Hawai`i men’s basketball team claimed the consolation title of the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic with a 78-70 win over Pepperdine Tuesday night at the Stan Sheriff Center. The ’Bows improved to 8-4 overall, while finishing with a 2-1 mark in the final eight-team edition of the tournament.

Lasha Parghalava came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points, including 17 points in the decisive second half. The junior guard went 7-of-10 from the field and buried five three pointers. Bill Amis (16) and Petras Balocka (11) also finished in double figures for UH. Lorne Jackson led four Waves in double figures with 18 points.

The Waves (2-13) entered the game having lost 12 of its last 13 games, but they would be not push-over. Pepperdine led by as many as seven points in the first half, held a one point lead at the break and went up 43-39 in the opening minutes of the second half. But UH went on a 21-8 run to take a nine-point lead with just five minutes remaining and would not relinquish the lead.

UH won despite a season-low three points by leading scorer Roderick Flemings, who was saddled with foul trouble for much of the game. The rest of the ’Bows picked up the slack however, as UH shot 52 percent from the floor, hit 24-of-27 on the free throw line, and out-rebounded (37-27) its 11th opponent in 12 games.

Pepperdine 58, Coppin State 56

The Waves proved the mightier of two one-win teams.
Pepperdine (2-12) earned its first win of the season over a Division I opponent when Lorne Jackson hit a driving floater off the window to break a tie game with 6.6 seconds left.
After a timeout by the Eagles (1-10), Tywain McKee sped up the floor and launched a pullup 3-pointer from the right angle, but his shot failed to draw iron at the buzzer.
Michael Thompson led the Waves with 18 points, including four 3-pointers. McKee had 21 for the Eagles.
Pepperdine closed the first half on a 17-2 run to lead 27-22.

A WIN AND A LOSS AT THE BUZZER!!!!!

Jackson Game-Winner Beats Eagles 58-56
December 29, 2008
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Lorne Jackson connected on a jumper with six seconds remaining in regulation lifting Pepperdine to a 58-56 victory over Coppin State in the consolation round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic in the Stan Sheriff Center on Monday.
The Waves turned the tables after losing their opening round game of the tournament to Buffalo on a jumper with 0.8 seconds remaining. Jackson, who scored Pepperdine's final four points including the game-winner, helped the Waves snap a 12-game losing streak.

Coppin State (1-10) had a chance to win the game, but Tywain McKee's three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark. The Eagles took a 55-54 lead on a three-pointer by McKee with 1:53 to play in the game.

Jackson answered with a jumper at the 1:40 mark of the period regaining the lead for the Waves at 56-55. McKee then tied the contest by making one of two free throws with 42 seconds to play. Jackson missed a jumper with 19 seconds left, but retained the ball when the Eagles were unable to collect the rebound. After a timeout, Jackson then connected on the game-winner with 6 seconds to play.
The game featured eight ties and nine lead changes and neither team held more than a three-point lead during the final 13:26 of play. The Eagles outshot the Waves 40.4 percent to 33.9 percent, but were hurt by missing 9-of-18 free throw attempts. McKee paced Coppin State with 21 points, eight rebounds, six steals and five assists. The Eagles also received 11 points and six rebounds from Sam Coleman and six points each from Vince Goldsberry and Mike Buckley.
Mychel Thompson led Pepperdine with 18 points, while Dane Suttle added 15. Jackson finished with 10 points, four assists and four rebounds. The Eagles started well and held an early lead behind hot shooting. After Suttle connected on a three-point basket cutting the CSU lead to 9-5, the Eagles answered with an 11-5 run capped by a three-pointer from Buckley to take a 20-10 lead with 7:38 remaining in the first half.

Pepperdine used a 12-0 run to take a 22-20 lead with 3:29 to play in the opening period.
Coleman ended the run with a dunk that tied the game at 22-22 with 2:41 to play in the period, but the Waves closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a 27-22 lead into the intermission.

A layup by Jackson gave Pepperdine a 33-24 lead with 18:14 left to play before the Eagles mounted a comeback. Ceslovas Kucinskas and Coleman each scored four points during a 13-2 run that gave the Eagles a 37-35 lead with 11:46 remaining. The teams then traded baskets for the remainder of the half until Jackson hit the game-winner. The Eagles will conclude tournament play against either George Washington or Hawaii on Tuesday.

NCAA Game Summary

- Pepperdine vs. Coppin State (Monday, December 29th)
Final Score: Pepperdine 58, Coppin State 56

Honolulu, HI (Sports Network) - Lorne Jackson knocked down a crucial field goal with 6.6 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Pepperdine to a 58-56 victory over Coppin State in the consolation round of the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Jackson finished the game for the Waves (2-12) with 10 points, four assists, and four rebounds. Mychel Thompson led Pepperdine with 18 points and eight rebounds, and Dane Suttle Jr. came off the bench to add 15 points in the win.
Tywain McKee led all scorers with 21 points for Coppin State (1-10). McKee also recorded eight rebounds and five assists. Sam Coleman came in off the bench for the Eagles and added 11 points and six rebounds.
Pepperdine led at the half with a 27-22 margin, despite being down 16-5 midway through the first half.
Coppin State mounted a comeback in the second half, outscoring the Waves by three points, but Pepperdine was able to grab the two-point win despite shooting below 40.0 percent from the field in the stanza.
Pepperdine completely dominated the boards, outrebounding Coppin State, 46-33.

Pepperdine snaps losing streak, beats Coppin State
The Associated Press
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
HONOLULU: Lorne Jackson made a driving layup with six seconds left to lead Pepperdine to a 58-56 win over Coppin State Monday in a consolation game at the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic.
The Waves (2-12) snapped a 12-game losing streak dating back to Nov. 16 and will play in Tuesday's fifth-place game. The Eagles (1-10) dropped their 10th straight and will play in the seventh-place game.
Coppin State's Tywain McKee made the second of two free throws to tie it at 56 with 42 seconds left.
Jackson missed a 16-foot jumper with 19 seconds to play, but the Waves kept possession after the a Coppin State player knocked the ball out of bounds. Jackson then drove the lane, splitting a pair of defenders to lay it in with his right hand.
Mychel Thompson led Pepperdine with 18 points, Dane Suttle Jr. added 15 points and Jackson had 10. McKee led all scorers with 21 points.


Pepperdine (1-12) vs. Coppin State (1-9)
By Sports Network - The Sports Network
GAME NOTES: Two teams searching for just their second wins of the season clash in the 45th annual Rainbow Classic in Honolulu on Monday, as the Coppin State Eagles and Pepperdine Waves meet up on the loser's side of the bracket at the Stan Sheriff Center. Sunday saw the Waves lose their 12th game in a row in a 72-71 overtime decision against Buffalo in the opening round of the tournament. With the setback,

Pepperdine remains winless away from home and has not beaten anyone since opening the campaign with a 91-82 triumph over Cal State Monterey Bay. As for the Eagles, a team that has yet to play a single home game this season, they lost by double digits for the fourth straight game with their 80-63 setback versus Colorado on Sunday night. Like Pepperdine, Coppin State has not won since the season opener against Wilmington, a stretch of nine in a row. This will be the first-ever meeting between these two teams on the hardwood, and they will both be back in action on Tuesday to close out the three-day event.
Pepperdine had a 14-point lead in the second half against the Bulls on Sunday but saw that all disappear, along with a possible win in the overtime setback. Lorne Jackson was the only starter for the Waves to score in double figures as he dropped in 14 points, while reserve Rico Tucker matched his scoring output but also added five assists. Mychal Thompson came up- a point shy of a double- double as he tallied 11 boards and was the only starter to have even a single assist for the Waves.

A total of 22 turnovers, 14 by the starters, didn't help matters. Thompson is again one of only two players scoring in double figures for the team on a regular basis with his 10.1 ppg, trailing only Keion Bell and his 11.5 ppg. Bell is also second on the team in assists with 24 but already has 57 miscues, although the problem is not his alone because the team as a whole is averaging just under 20 turnovers per contest.

Coppin State missed all seven chances behind the three-point line in the first half and failed to make a single trip to the charity stripe in the frame, leaving the Eagles in a 12-point hole from which they were never able to climb out from. Michael Harper was the lone double-digit scorer for the program with his 11 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the floor, but he was the only starter to make more than two field goals the entire game. The squad forced 18 turnovers, but allowed Colorado to shoot not only 55.3 percent from the field, but also 7-of-14 behind the three-point line.
This team has just one consistent double- digit scorer in Tywain McKee who is accounting for 19.4 ppg, shooting 38.2 percent from three-point range and already having made more free throws (31- of-37) than any of his teammates has even attempted to this point. After 10 games the Eagles are scoring just 61.4 ppg, but giving up 72.9 ppg to the opposition.
One of these teams will have to come out on top today, but that doesn't necessarily mean the winner deserves that second victory of the season. Assume that Pepperdine will have the advantage because it didn't have as far to travel for this event.

Waves End Streak, Beat Coppin State
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information

Release: 12/29/2008
HONOLULU, Hawaii ­— A driving lay-up by freshman guard Lorne Jackson with 6.6 seconds left helped the Pepperdine men’s basketball team end its 12-game losing streak and defeat Coppin State, 58-56, in a consolation bracket game at the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Monday afternoon.

Pepperdine (2-12) won for the first time since its season opener against Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 14. Coppin State (1-10) lost its 10th straight, but the 2008 NCAA Tournament team has played all 11 of its games on the road and has competed against one of the nation’s most difficult schedules to this point.

The Waves will next face the winner of tonight’s Hawaii-George Washington contest in the fifth-place game on Tuesday (Dec. 30). If Pepperdine plays George Washington, the game will be at 11 a.m. HT / 1 p.m. PT. If Pepperdine plays host Hawaii, the game will be at 5 p.m. HT / 7 p.m. PT.

Coppin State’s Tywain McKee sank one of two free throws with 42.3 seconds left to tie the game at 56-56. On Pepperdine’s final possession, Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) missed his first shot attempt, but the rebound went out of bounds and the ball was awarded to the Waves with 20.7 seconds left. After a timeout, Jackson let the clock wind down a bit before driving down the right side of the line and making a tough running shot in traffic with 6.6 seconds remaining.

“I knew I could take my man and get by him,” Jackson said. “Once I did that I just had to get up high enough and shoot it off the glass. It worked out and the ball went in.”
Fortunately for the Waves, they weren’t victimized by a buzzer-beater for the second straight night (Buffalo’s Andy Robinson hit a jump shot with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Bulls a 72-71 win over the Waves in the tournament’s first round). McKee’s last-gasp three-point attempt at the horn was far off the mark.

“Young teams have to figure out how to win,” Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. “It’s really easy to lose. You can get ahead and play well for a while, but then young teams can lose their poise, lose their confidence, and start to play nervous, and next thing you know it’s over. Young teams have to figure out how to win, and it’s a maturation process. This was a good win for us. We could have won yesterday. Both situations were good learning experiences.”

Sophomore forward Mychel Thompson (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Stoneridge Prep) scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half and also pulled down eight rebounds. Freshman forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep) made 5-of-8 three-pointers and scored 15 points. Jackson had 10 points and freshman forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) pulled down 11 rebounds.

The Waves were able to recover from a horrific early shooting performance. At the 9:30 mark of the first half, they had made just two of 17 shots and trailed 16-5.

A three-pointer by Thompson left with 9:18 got things going, however. Senior guard Mike Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) scored the Waves’ next five points, Jackson made a fast-break lay-up, Suttle sank a three-pointer and Thompson’s tip-dunk tied the game at 20-20 with 4:40 left.

Pepperdine took its first lead on a short jumper by freshman guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS), making it 22-20 with 3:25 left. Suttle’s third three-pointer of the first half made it 26-22 with 2:08 left. The Waves went into halftime with a 27-22 lead despite shooting 29.4% from the field. But, they held the Eagles to 33.3% shooting.

The Waves took their biggest lead of the game at 33-24 after a Jackson lay-up with 18:15 to go. But Pepperdine hit a cold spell once again, missing eight straight field goal attempts and allowing Coppin State to go on a 13-2 run and take a 37-35 lead with 11:45 left.

Over the next six minutes, all of Pepperdine’s offense came via the three-pointer, as Thompson hit three and Suttle sank two. Thompson’s last one broke a 47-47 tie and put Pepperdine up by three points with 5:18 left.
Coppin State retook the lead on a McKee three pointer, making it 55-54 with 1:55 left. Jackson sank a 15-foot jumper on the Waves’ next possession, giving Pepperdine a 56-55 edge with 1:40 to go, setting up the last-minute heroics.

Of the final play, Asbury said: “We were looking for the first good shot inside of 10 seconds, and everyone was going to go to the glass looking for an offensive rebound. We had enough dribble-penetrators out there to create something. Lorne put his head down and made it happen.”

The Waves made a season-high 10 three-pointers (five by Suttle and four by Thompson) and won despite shooting 33.9% from the field. Coppin State shot 40.4% from the field. The Eagles entered the game as one of the top free-throw shooting teams in the country at 78% but shot an uncharacteristic 9-for-18 from the line. Pepperdine had a 46-33 rebounding edge
Of the 10 players that saw action for the Waves, eight were freshmen or sophomores, and seven weren’t on the roster last year. The Waves played their 10th straight game without Ryan Holmes (Phoenix, Ariz./Millennium HS/Phoenix CC), their starting point guard and one of just three seniors, who is sidelined by a knee injury. Sophomore forward Jonathan Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Marshall HS/Collin County CC), who sprained an ankle in the Georgia Tech game a little more than a week ago, will not play in this tournament.

http://www.sidearmstats.com/hawaii/mbball/

Waves Lose Heartbreaker to Buffalo

Pepperdine-Buffalo Box Score

Courtesy: Ron Hall
HONOLULU, Hawaii ­— Andy Robinson’s short jumper with 0.8 seconds left was a heartbreaker for the Pepperdine men’s basketball team, which lost 72-71 in overtime to Buffalo in the first round of the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic on Sunday evening.
The Waves (1-12) had a 14-point lead in the second half and a six-point lead in overtime, but couldn’t hold on and suffered their 12th straight loss. The Bulls improved to 6-4 after their first-ever meeting with Pepperdine.

Pepperdine now drops to the consolation bracket and will face the loser of tonight’s Colorado-Coppin State game at 1:30 p.m. HT/3:30 p.m PT on Monday (Dec. 29).
Senior guard Rico Tucker ( San Diego , Calif. /University HS/Minnesota) had a season-high 14 points to go with five assists, but he couldn’t connect on a potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation. Freshman guard Lorne Jackson ( Simi Valley , Calif./Simi Valley HS) also had 14 points and sophomore forward Mychel Thompson ( Ladera Ranch , Calif. /Stoneridge Prep) grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to go with nine points.

After falling behind 12-6, the Waves played some of their best defensive basketball of the season for the remainder of the first half. A 7-0 run with baskets in the paint by sophomore center Denis Agre (Sofia, Bulgaria/Central Arizona JC) and freshman forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) and a three-pointer by freshman forward Dane Suttle Jr. ( Los Angeles , Calif. /Summit College Prep) gave the Waves their first lead at 13-12 with 10 minutes left. The lead went back and forth a couple of times until another Suttle three-pointer with 8:05 remaining put Pepperdine up 19-17.

The score was 24-20 at the final media timeout of the half, and a putback by Darby made it 26-20. Tucker was then mostly responsible for a four-point possession, putting the Waves up by 10 at 30-20 with about a minute left. He made a steal at midcourt and was grabbed from behind, resulting in an intentional foul. After he made two free throws, the Waves retained possession and Tucker fed Agre for a dunk. Agre also scored off an offensive rebound with one second remaining to send Pepperdine into halftime with a 32-20 edge.
In the final eight minutes, the Waves held the Bulls to one field goal and one free throw. The 20 points were the fewest by a Pepperdine opponent in any half this season, and the Waves built their lead despite 14 first-half turnovers. Buffalo was held to 25.8% shooting in the first half.
The Bulls cut the lead to 36-29 three minutes into the second half, but the Waves sank three-pointers on three consecutive possessions – two by Jackson and the one in the middle by Thompson – to push the lead to 45-31. The Waves were up 47-33 with 14 minutes left but hit a lull that lasted about four minutes. Buffalo repeatedly got to the free throw line, but made just six of nine and missed the front end of two one-and-ones. Still, the lead was cut to 47-39 with 10 ½ minutes left.

Tucker hit a three-pointer and later scored on a fast break to make the score 52-42 with a little less than nine minutes left. But the Bulls went on a 10-2 run to close the gap to within two points at 54-52 with six minutes to play.
The Waves added some cushion to their lead when Jackson beat the shot clock with a three-pointer and Bell converted a lay-up after a Buffalo turnover, making the score 59-52 with a little less than five minutes to go.

Buffalo scored the next six points, and even though Jackson recorded a lay-up with 2:40 left to make it 61-58, Buffalo ’s Andy Robinson sank a three-pointer with 2:23 left that tied the game at 61-61. That’s how regulation ended, as the Bulls missed several opportunities to take the lead. Tucker forced a jumper with a couple of seconds left but didn’t come close. Buffalo got the ball back with less than two seconds on the clock and after a full-court pass, Buffalo ’s Robinson took a 15-foot shot that was off the mark.
Pepperdine scored on its first three possessions of overtime to take a 67-61 lead. Darby made two free throws, Tucker drove in for a lay-up and Thompson scored on a putback. Still, Buffalo scored on four straight possessions to take a 70-69 lead as Greg Gamble hit a short jumper from the left baseline with 31 seconds left.

On a well-designed play, Tucker drove to the basket down the left side, and when the defense collapsed on him, he found senior guard Mike Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) for a lay-up on the right with 12 seconds left. That still gave Buffalo time, however, and Robinson dribbled around for a while in the left corner, got out of a trap, then drove and pulled up for a 10-foot jumper from the left wing, which he made with 0.8 seconds left. The Waves then committed an offensive foul on their final chance.

The Waves outshot the Bulls, 44.8% to 37.3%, but had more turnovers (22-17) and were outrebounded (42-35).

Of the 10 players that saw action for the Waves, eight were freshmen or sophomores, and seven weren’t on the roster last year. The Waves played their ninth straight game without Ryan Holmes ( Phoenix , Ariz. /Millennium HS/Phoenix CC), their starting point guard and one of just three seniors, who is sidelined by a knee injury. Sophomore forward Jonathan Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Marshall HS/Collin County CC), who sprained an ankle in the Georgia Tech game a week ago, will not play in this tournament.

Colleges roundup
Pepperdine falls to Buffalo in overtime
Daily News
Updated: 12/28/2008 10:22:51 PM PST

Andy Robinson made a jumper with two seconds left to lead Buffalo past Pepperdine 72-71 in overtime Sunday night in the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic at Honolulu.
Lorne Jackson and Rico Tucker each had 14 points for Pepperdine (1-12).
Mike Hornbuckle hit a jumper for the Waves with 12 seconds left in overtime to give Pepperdine a 71-70 lead. Pepperdine led by as many as 14 points in the second half, and led 50-39 with 10:22 left in the second half. But Robinson hit a 3-pointer for Buffalo (6-4) with 2:24 left in the second half, and neither team scored again until the extra period.
Pepperdine led 67-61 with 3:26 left in overtime after a Mychel Thompson jumper, but Buffalo rallied and took a 70-69 lead with 32 seconds left on a jumper by Greg Gamble.

December 29, 2008
Late shot boosts Buffalo

By Dayton Morinaga

Advertiser Staff Writer

Out of sight and out of mind, the Buffalo basketball team is hoping to give its fans a reason to cheer for something other than football this week.
The Bulls defeated Pepperdine, 72-71, in an overtime thriller of the first round of the 45th Annual Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic last night.
A crowd of 757 at the Stan Sheriff Center watched last night's two first-round games.
Andy Robinson hit an off-balance jump shot from 12 feet with 0.8 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Bulls the victory. Buffalo had trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half, and six points early in the overtime.
"It means a lot," Buffalo head coach Reggie Witherspoon said. "We had three overtime games last year and didn't win any of them. Everything appeared to be going wrong, and yet our guys hung in there and kept fighting, and I think that's a sign of growth."
The win prevented what would have been a significant upset. Buffalo improved to 6-4; Pepperdine lost its 12th straight game to fall to 1-12.
The Bulls are rated No. 115 among NCAA Division I teams by CBS Sports. The Waves are rated No. 332 out of 343 total teams.
"Nothing against (Pepperdine), but we were thinking from the beginning of the game that we should have been ahead," Buffalo guard Calvin Betts said. "But we knew if we kept fighting it would work out."
Betts had game-highs of 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead Buffalo. Robinson added 12 points off the bench.
Pepperdine took a 71-70 lead with 12 seconds remaining in overtime when Mike Hornbuckle scored on a layup off a nice assist from Rico Tucker.
On Buffalo's ensuing possession, Robinson got the ball in the corner, faked a pass, then drove toward the lane for his winning shot.
"I had a pretty good look at the basket," Robinson said. "I had a really good first step and I knew I beat (the defender), so all I had to do was kind of fade a little bit."
Betts, who was another option on the final play, said: "At first I wanted him to kick it because I was wide open. But great players make shots like that, and Andy's a great player."
Robinson also hit a 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining in regulation to tie the score at 61. Neither team scored after that, forcing the five-minute overtime.

The Bulls will play Colorado in a semifinal game today at 5 p.m.
Meanwhile, it is 34 degrees back in Buffalo, where most of the fans are preparing for the football team's upcoming International Bowl on Saturday in Toronto against Connecticut. Buffalo upset Ball State to win the Mid-American Conference football title.
"Everybody's excited about the football team, including us," Betts said. "But this is a chance for us to make some noise and hopefully get people talking about basketball, too."
Lorne Jackson and Tucker led the Waves with 14 points each. Pepperdine will play Coppin State in a consolation game today at 1:30 p.m.

Published: Dec 29, 2008 02:51 AM
Modified: Dec 29, 2008 02:56 AM

Recap: Pepperdine vs. Buffalo
By Sports Network, The Sports Network

Andy Robinson hit a jumper with two seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Buffalo Bulls over the Pepperdine Waves, 72-71, in the opening round of the 45th annual Rainbow Classic.
Calvin Betts racked up 18 points and 14 rebounds for Buffalo (6-4), which got 12 points from Robinson.

Lorne Jackson and Rico Tucker posted 14 points apiece in the painful setback for Pepperdine (1-12), which had its losing skid extended to 12 games.
Pepperdine owned a commanding 32-20 lead at intermission after limiting Buffalo to 8-of-31 shooting from the floor in the first half.
Robinson hit a three-pointer with 2:24 remaining in the second half to tie the score at 61-61, and neither team was able to score again in regulation.
In the overtime period, Robinson proved to be the hero. The Waves lost despite hitting 4-of-5 field goal attempts in that extra session.
The Bulls finished the contest with a 42-35 rebounding edge, and they forced 22 turnovers in the triumph.
Buffalo will take on Colorado in the semifinal round on Monday, while Pepperdine will face Coppin State in the consolation round.

Future NBA stars that were named
to Classic all-tournament teams.
1967 Elvin Hayes (Houston)
1969 Pete Maravich (LSU)
1971 Bob Nash (Hawai‘i)
1972 Tom Henderson (Hawai‘i)
George Karl (North Carolina)
Bobby Jones (North Carolina)
1974 Quinn Buckner (Indiana)
1976 Otis Birdsong (Houston)
Bill Cartwright (San Francisco)
1977 Danny Ainge (Brigham Young)
Phil Ford (North Carolina)
1979 Eddie Johnson (Illinois)
Darrell Griffith (Louisville)
1980 Isiah Thomas (Indiana)
1981 Ricky Pierce (Rice)
Thurl Bailey (North Carolina State)
Quintin Dailey (San Francisco)
1982 Michael Jordan (North Carolina)
Sam Perkins (North Carolina)
Wayman Tisdale (Oklahoma)
Byron Scott (Arizona State)
1984 Detlef Schrempf (Washington)
Mark Price (Georgia Tech)
1985 Hersey Hawkins (Bradley)
1986 Charles Smith (Pittsburgh)
1987 Vinny Del Negro (North Carolina St.)
1988 Dennis Scott (Georgia Tech)
Nick Anderson (Illinois)
1989 Christian Laettner (Duke)
1990 Allan Houston (Tennessee)
1991 Latrell Sprewell (Alabama)
1992 Chris Webber (Michigan)
Jalen Rose (Michigan)
George Lynch (North Carolina)
Lindsey Hunter (Jackson State)
1994 Corliss Williamson (Arkansas)
1995 John Wallace (Syracuse)
1996 Anthony “A.C.” Carter (Hawai‘i)
1997 Paul Pierce (Kansas)
Tyronne Lue (Nebraska)
2002 Danny Granger (Bradley)
2004 Jeff Green (Georgetown)