WCC tourney:
Portland overpowers Pepperdine, 69-45
Pilots move ahead to face St. Mary’s in semifinals
By Ray Brewer
Sat, Mar 7, 2009 (11:06 p.m.)
West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament
The West Coast Conference basketball tournament is expected to come down to a championship game matchup of top-seeded Gonzaga against No. 2 Saint Mary's on Monday.
Just don't tell that to the Portland Pilots. They showed Saturday night that they have the potential to crash the party.
Portland shot 57 percent in the first half to open its quarterfinal game against Pepperdine on a 16-2 run and never looked back in a 69-45 victory. Portland was so commanding that it limited Pepperdine to six points in the game's opening 15 minutes.
"I really love when they play defense like that," said Portland coach Eric Reveno, whose team held Pepperdine to 6-of-28 shooting in the first half. "When we play defense like that, we are fun to watch."
The win pushes Portland (19-11) into Sunday's semifinal against Saint Mary's, which like Gonzaga, enters the tournament with a 24-5 record. One of those five losses was an 84-66 setback at Portland Jan. 31 — a result the Pilots, thanks to the momentum they gained Saturday, feel they can duplicate.
"Our guys were just clicking and having fun tonight," said Portland guard Nik Raivio, who finished with a game-high 16 points. "Hopefully we can carry that over to tomorrow."
Portland led 36-16 at halftime, and then held Pepperdine to eight points in the initial 10 minutes of the second half in building a 30-point advantage.
Jared Stohl had 13 points for Portland and B.J. Porter contributed 11. The Pilots played all 14 players who dressed — 10 of them scored — in resting their starters for Saint Mary's.
However, duplicating the success against Saint Mary's will not be easy. While Portland's 24-point victory was impressive, it pales in comparison to Saint Mary's 96-46 win against Pepperdine on Jan. 17.
Patrick Mills, who averages 18.7 points per game and is considered Saint Mary's top player, is expected to play after missing last nine games with a broken hand.
"They are a NCAA viable team with or without him," Reveno said. "At this point of the season, it is really about us and how we play."
Pepperdine (9-23) only had one player reach doubles figures — guard Keion Bell who had 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting.
Portland Ends Men's Basketball's Season
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 03/07/.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Portland’s stifling man-to-man defense did the Pepperdine men’s basketball team in for the third time this season, and the Waves’ season came to an end with a 69-45 loss in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference Tournament at the Orleans Arena on Saturday night.
The sixth-seeded Waves (9-23) shot 39.0% and 23.3% from the field in their first two meetings against the third-seeded Pilots (19-11), and were held to 25.9% tonight.
Freshman guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) scored 12 of his team-high 14 points in the second half. It was the 13th time in the last 14 games that he scored in double-figures. No one else had more than six points.
Portland shot 52.2% from the field, made 10 of 22 three-pointers and got 16 points from Nik Raivio and 13 points from Jared Stohl. The Pilots beat the Waves in the WCC Tournament for only the second time in seven tries.
The Waves were coming off a 93-85 win over San Francisco on Friday’s first round that saw season highs for points and field goal percentage (49.2%). A well-rested Portland squad had a first-round bye.
“We shot as poorly tonight as we did well last night,” Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. “All three games (against Portland), they kicked our butt. For whatever reason, we did not play well. I’m disappointed we did not give them a game.”
For the third straight meeting, the Waves fell behind quickly to the Pilots. In each contest, Portland had a double-digit lead within eight minutes of the game’s start. Tonight, the Waves missed their first seven shots and the Pilots built a 10-0 lead at the 15:35 mark. A driving lay-up by freshman guard Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) broke up the shutout with 13:56 to play, but the shooting woes continued as Pepperdine missed its next nine shots while Portland’s lead grew to 18-2.
The Pilots’ lead steadily grew and they went into the break with a 36-16 lead. One night after scoring a season-high 48 points in the first half, Pepperdine scored a season low for the first 20 minutes. The Waves went 6-for-28 (21.4%) from the field, while Portland went 12-for-21 (57.1%). Half of the Pilots’ first-half success came from downtown, where they went 6-for-11 on three-pointers. Senior guard Ryan Holmes (Phoenix, Ariz./Millennium HS/Phoenix CC) was the Waves’ only player to score twice in the first half.
The Pilots took their largest lead of the game of 30 points at 52-32 with 12:40 to play following a 14-2 run. The Waves improved their shooting to 30.0% in the second half and increased their scoring total to 29 points.
The Waves will only lose three seniors from the squad – Holmes and guards Mike Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) and Rico Tucker (San Diego, Calif./University HS/Minnesota). The Waves’ youth bodes well for the future, as of the 11 players that saw action for the Waves tonight, nine were freshmen or sophomores, and seven weren’t on the roster last year.
Portland 69, Pepperdine 45
LAS VEGAS -- Nik Raivio had a game-high 16 points Saturday night to lead Portland to a 69-45 victory against Pepperdine in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference tournament.
Portland (19-11) opened the game on a 16-2 run, including a pair of 3-pointers from Raivio and Jared Stohl, to earn a spot in Sunday's semifinals against Saint Marys.
Portland led 36-16 at halftime and limited Pepperdine to eight points in the opening 10 minutes of the second half to build a 30 point advantage.
Stohl added 13 points for Portland and B.J. Porter contributed 11 points. Pepperdine (9-23), which won its first-round tournament game Friday 93-85 against San Francisco, made 6-of-28 shots in the first half and shot 26 percent for the game.
LAS VEGAS -- Nik Raivio had a game-high 16 points Saturday night to lead Portland to a 69-45 victory against Pepperdine in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference tournament.
Portland (19-11) opened the game on a 16-2 run, including a pair of 3-pointers from Raivio and Jared Stohl, to earn a spot in Sunday's semifinals against Saint Marys.
Portland led 36-16 at halftime and limited Pepperdine to eight points in the opening 10 minutes of the second half to build a 30 point advantage.
Stohl added 13 points for Portland and B.J. Porter contributed 11 points. Pepperdine (9-23), which won its first-round tournament game Friday 93-85 against San Francisco, made 6-of-28 shots in the first half and shot 26 percent for the game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Pepperdine wins first-round game
Waves defeat San Francisco, 93-85, behind Hornbuckle's 25 points to move on in the West Coast Conference tournament. Loyola Marymount's season comes to an end.
Associated Press
March 7, 2009
Mike Hornbuckle scored 25 points, including five three-point baskets, to lead sixth-seeded Pepperdine to a 93-85 victory over seventh-seeded San Francisco in the first round of the West Coast Conference tournament Friday night at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Hornbuckle was eight for 11 from the field for the Waves, who play third-seeded Portland in the second round tonight.
The Waves (9-22), who withstood 16 lead changes and 11 ties, took the lead for good on a Hornbuckle three-pointer that made it 73-72 with 5:42 left. Pepperdine built a six-point lead in the first half and led 48-47 at halftime. Keion Bell had 19 points and seven rebounds for Pepperdine, and Mychel Thompson had 12 points and five rebounds.
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco (11-19).
USF loses in first round at WCC tournamentSteve Kroner, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, March 7, 2009
(03-07) 04:00 PST Las Vegas --
Contrary to the line in those TV ads, some things don't stay in Vegas. Just ask the USF Dons.
Even though Dior Lowhorn poured in a career-high 32 points, the Dons faded down the stretch and lost 93-85 to Pepperdine in the opening round of the WCC tournament at the Orleans Arena.
With 10 minutes to go, Lowhorn's jumper gave the Dons a 69-64 advantage. Things went south from there for USF.
The Waves (9-22) took the lead for good on Mike Hornbuckle's three-pointer with 5:55 remaining. Hornbuckle was 5-for-6 from beyond the arc and led Pepperdine with 25 points. The Waves had five other players score in double figures.
Lowhorn has scored in double figures in all but one game in two seasons with the Dons (11-19).
He finished this season with 604 points and had 636 in 2007-08. Quintin Dailey and Bill Cartwright are the only other two USF players to have two 600-point seasons.
Lowhorn didn't take much solace from that personal accomplishment because the Dons fell to 21-40 in his time with the green and gold.
"When you're a good player," Lowhorn said, "you've got to make your teammates better and our record is identical to last year. So, it's something I've got to look at and do better.
"It's a good feeling to have those (accomplishments), but when you lose, it's not a good feeling. People don't acknowledge you for losing."
His coach, Rex Walters, acknowledged the effort throughout the season by Lowhorn, generously listed at 6-foot-7.
"He's playing out of position, playing against guys bigger than him," Walters said. "He actually gets no respect from the referees. He gets hit every time he shoots it; they don't call it - but he keeps battling.
"There's something about the kid where he just keeps fighting and I really respect that about him. He should have had 40-something tonight if he had gotten the calls he should have gotten."
Two other USF players scored in double figures: Kwame Vaughn had 18 points and Blake Wallace had 13 to go with a game-high nine rebounds.
The Dons knocked off Pepperdine 70-62 in Malibu last Saturday, but it's the Waves who will take on Portland in the quarterfinals tonight. That game will follow the Santa Clara-San Diego matchup.
In the first game Friday night, the fifth-seeded Toreros (16-15) overcame an early 11-point deficit to knock off eighth-seeded Loyola Marymount 62-56.
The story of that game can be told in two statistics: The Toreros had a 38-16 rebounding edge and the Lions (3-28) went 13-for-28 from the foul line.
Briefly: The Dons and Waves had five previous WCC tournament meetings, all in the 1990s, and all won by Pepperdine. ... Wallace, a junior forward, spent his freshman season (2006-07) with the Waves.
Waves Shoot Down USF at WCC Tournament
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 03/06/2009
Pepperdine-San Francisco Box Score
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 03/06/2009
Pepperdine-San Francisco Box Score
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Senior guard Mike Hornbuckle scored 25 points, one shy of his career high, as the Pepperdine men’s basketball team pulled out a 93-85 victory over San Francisco in the first round of the West Coast Conference Tournament at the Orleans Arena on Friday night.
The sixth-seeded Waves (9-22) now advance to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face a well-rested and third-seeded Portland squad on Saturday night (March 7) at approximately 8:15 p.m.
In the previous two meetings this season with USF (11-19), which the schools split, the most points that the Waves scored was 69 points. But the Waves finished with season highs in total points and field goal percentage (49.2%) while committing a season-low four turnovers.
Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) drained five of six three-pointers and eight of 11 shots overall. His career high of 26 points came when he was playing at Azusa Pacific, his previous high in a Pepperdine uniform was 17 points last season and his previous season high was 12 points.
He was one of a season-high six Waves that reached double-figures. Freshman guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) scored 19 points, sophomore forward Mychel Thompson (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Stoneridge Prep) had 12, freshman guard Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) had 11 and freshman forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) and freshman center Corbin Moore (Cypress, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) each scored 10.
They needed all of that scoring to offset 32 points from USF’s Dior Lowhorn and 18 points from Kwame Vaughn.
“We’re obviously pleased to advance,” said Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury, who won three WCC Tournaments during his first stint as head coach in the 1990s. “I told our guys at halftime that it was going to be a shootout, but we were going to have to defend better because I didn’t know if we would shoot as well as we did in the first half. But it was one of those nights where we made our free throws and shot well enough to get it done. The key was only turning the ball over four times. That’s remarkable for a young team.”
The Waves had a remarkable first half on the offensive end, scoring more than 40 points against a Division I team for the first time all season. The Waves had only scored 30 or more points in the first half of three league games. They shot 59.4% from the floor and made seven of 11 three-pointers, with four by Hornbuckle and three by Jackson. There were seven ties and nine lead changes in the first 20 minutes.
Lowhorn scored 11 of USF’s first 13 points as the Dons took a 13-9 lead just five minutes into the game. A Hornbuckle three-pointer would break a 27-27 tie with 7:25 to go, and the Waves built their lead up to six points with 1:30 left after Jackson sank a three-pointer and drove in for a lay-up.
The Dons scored the next seven points to grab a 47-46 lead, but with the clock winding down, Jackson broke down the defense and found Moore for a lay-up with one second left, sending Pepperdine into the break with a 48-47 lead.
The lead bounced around a few more times early in the second half, and a three-pointer by Bell put the Waves ahead 62-60 with 12:27 to play. But the Dons scored the next seven points, four on free throws by Lowhorn and a three-pointer by Peter Smith, giving USF a 67-62 advantage with 10:40 left.
Pepperdine retied the game at 70-70 with less than seven minutes to go. After Lowhorn gave USF back the lead with a basket, Hornbuckle drained his fifth three-pointer and then hit two free throws on the next possession, giving the Waves a 75-72 lead with 5:28 to play.
Pepperdine led 78-76 when Hornbuckle came off a screen and hit a short jumper in the lane, then finished off a fast break with a lay-up with 2:55 left to increase the Waves’ lead to 82-76. Pepperdine hit nine of 12 free throws in the final three minutes to hold onto the lead.
The contest saw a total of 12 ties and 17 lead changes. Pepperdine’s bench outscored USF 50-15. The Waves made 24 of 29 foul shots, compared to 14 of 21 for USF. The Dons shot 55.6% in the first half before settling for a 46.4% mark for the game.
Only three of the Waves had previous WCC Tournament experience, and none more than two games. Of the 11 players that saw action for the Waves tonight, nine were freshmen or sophomores, and seven weren’t on the roster last year.
Prior to Saturday night’s men’s game between Pepperdine and Portland, the third-seeded Pepperdine women face sixth-seeded San Diego on Saturday (March 7) at approximately 2:15 p.m. Subscribers to “Wave Casts” at
The sixth-seeded Waves (9-22) now advance to the quarterfinals, where they’ll face a well-rested and third-seeded Portland squad on Saturday night (March 7) at approximately 8:15 p.m.
In the previous two meetings this season with USF (11-19), which the schools split, the most points that the Waves scored was 69 points. But the Waves finished with season highs in total points and field goal percentage (49.2%) while committing a season-low four turnovers.
Hornbuckle (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian HS/Azusa Pacific) drained five of six three-pointers and eight of 11 shots overall. His career high of 26 points came when he was playing at Azusa Pacific, his previous high in a Pepperdine uniform was 17 points last season and his previous season high was 12 points.
He was one of a season-high six Waves that reached double-figures. Freshman guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) scored 19 points, sophomore forward Mychel Thompson (Ladera Ranch, Calif./Stoneridge Prep) had 12, freshman guard Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) had 11 and freshman forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) and freshman center Corbin Moore (Cypress, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) each scored 10.
They needed all of that scoring to offset 32 points from USF’s Dior Lowhorn and 18 points from Kwame Vaughn.
“We’re obviously pleased to advance,” said Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury, who won three WCC Tournaments during his first stint as head coach in the 1990s. “I told our guys at halftime that it was going to be a shootout, but we were going to have to defend better because I didn’t know if we would shoot as well as we did in the first half. But it was one of those nights where we made our free throws and shot well enough to get it done. The key was only turning the ball over four times. That’s remarkable for a young team.”
The Waves had a remarkable first half on the offensive end, scoring more than 40 points against a Division I team for the first time all season. The Waves had only scored 30 or more points in the first half of three league games. They shot 59.4% from the floor and made seven of 11 three-pointers, with four by Hornbuckle and three by Jackson. There were seven ties and nine lead changes in the first 20 minutes.
Lowhorn scored 11 of USF’s first 13 points as the Dons took a 13-9 lead just five minutes into the game. A Hornbuckle three-pointer would break a 27-27 tie with 7:25 to go, and the Waves built their lead up to six points with 1:30 left after Jackson sank a three-pointer and drove in for a lay-up.
The Dons scored the next seven points to grab a 47-46 lead, but with the clock winding down, Jackson broke down the defense and found Moore for a lay-up with one second left, sending Pepperdine into the break with a 48-47 lead.
The lead bounced around a few more times early in the second half, and a three-pointer by Bell put the Waves ahead 62-60 with 12:27 to play. But the Dons scored the next seven points, four on free throws by Lowhorn and a three-pointer by Peter Smith, giving USF a 67-62 advantage with 10:40 left.
Pepperdine retied the game at 70-70 with less than seven minutes to go. After Lowhorn gave USF back the lead with a basket, Hornbuckle drained his fifth three-pointer and then hit two free throws on the next possession, giving the Waves a 75-72 lead with 5:28 to play.
Pepperdine led 78-76 when Hornbuckle came off a screen and hit a short jumper in the lane, then finished off a fast break with a lay-up with 2:55 left to increase the Waves’ lead to 82-76. Pepperdine hit nine of 12 free throws in the final three minutes to hold onto the lead.
The contest saw a total of 12 ties and 17 lead changes. Pepperdine’s bench outscored USF 50-15. The Waves made 24 of 29 foul shots, compared to 14 of 21 for USF. The Dons shot 55.6% in the first half before settling for a 46.4% mark for the game.
Only three of the Waves had previous WCC Tournament experience, and none more than two games. Of the 11 players that saw action for the Waves tonight, nine were freshmen or sophomores, and seven weren’t on the roster last year.
Prior to Saturday night’s men’s game between Pepperdine and Portland, the third-seeded Pepperdine women face sixth-seeded San Diego on Saturday (March 7) at approximately 2:15 p.m. Subscribers to “Wave Casts” at
http://www.pepperdinesports.com/?SPSID=90183&SPID=10851&DB_OEM_ID=18500 can listen to Al Epstein’s call of the action at all of Pepperdine’s men’s and women’s games at the tournament.
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco.
Pepperdine Tops Dons in First Round Action
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco.
March 6, 2009
Final Stats Game Action
LAS VEGAS (AP) -Mike Hornbuckle scored 25 points, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, to lead No. 6 seed Pepperdine past No. 7 San Francisco 93-85 in the first round of the West Coast Conference tournament Friday night.
Hornbuckle was 8 of 11 from the floor for the Waves, who play No. 3 seed Portland in the quarterfinals on Saturday night.
The Waves (9-22), which withstood 16 lead changes and 11 ties, took the lead permanently on a Hornbuckle 3-pointer that made it 73-72 with 5:42 left in the game.
Pepperdine built a six-point lead in the first half and led 48-47 at halftime.
Keion Bell had 19 points and seven rebounds for Pepperdine, while Mychel Thompson added 12 points and five rebounds.
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco (11-19). Kwame Vaughn added 18 points, and Blake Wallace had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Pepperdine Tops Dons in First Round Action
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco.
March 6, 2009
Final Stats Game Action
LAS VEGAS (AP) -Mike Hornbuckle scored 25 points, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, to lead No. 6 seed Pepperdine past No. 7 San Francisco 93-85 in the first round of the West Coast Conference tournament Friday night.
Hornbuckle was 8 of 11 from the floor for the Waves, who play No. 3 seed Portland in the quarterfinals on Saturday night.
The Waves (9-22), which withstood 16 lead changes and 11 ties, took the lead permanently on a Hornbuckle 3-pointer that made it 73-72 with 5:42 left in the game.
Pepperdine built a six-point lead in the first half and led 48-47 at halftime.
Keion Bell had 19 points and seven rebounds for Pepperdine, while Mychel Thompson added 12 points and five rebounds.
Dior Lowhorn had a career-high 32 points for San Francisco (11-19). Kwame Vaughn added 18 points, and Blake Wallace had 13 points and nine rebounds.
San Francisco (11-18) vs. Pepperdine (8-22)
By Sports Network - The Sports Network
GAME NOTES: The San Francisco Dons and Pepperdine Waves meet for the second time in less than a week, only this encounter takes place in the first round of the 2009 West Coast Conference Tournament. The Dons topped the Waves, 70-62, last Saturday to split the season series and extend their lead in the all-time rivalry to 65-46. It was the second win in the past three games for USF, which went just 3-11 in league play during the regular season. The seventh-seeded Dons are 12-21 all-time in this event, taking their lone title back in 1998. As for Pepperdine, it dropped its final four outings of the regular season to dip to 5-9 in conference. The Waves claimed the sixth seed and are gunning for their fourth title in this event and first since 1994. The survivor of this battle will earn the right to face the University of Portland in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Dons are paced by the top scorer in the WCC in Dior Lowhorn, who averages 19.7 ppg. Lowhorn is also the team's top rebounder at 6.9 rpg and he is shooting 44 percent from three-point range. USF, however, doesn't have many other options, as Kwame Vaughn is a distant second in scoring with his 10.6 ppg. Blake Wallace adds 8.3 rpg to the equation, and the Dons are generating just 67.1 ppg on 43.1 percent shooting from the floor. The club, though, is giving up a slightly higher 69.7 ppg and slowing down opposing teams has been a problem at times for USF this season.
Hanging on to the ball has been an issue for the Waves this season, as they are committing 16.5 turnovers per game. The miscues have hurt the team at both ends of the floor and the proof is in the 11.7 ppg Pepperdine is being outscored by on average. Keion Bell is the lone player on the roster averaging in double figures, netting 12.6 ppg and he also has a team-best 46 steals to his credit. Bell, though, has been a major reason for the team's inability to keep the ball secure, as his 118 turnovers are nearly double his next closest teammate. Mychel Thompson chips in with 9.7 ppg for Pepperdine, but that average would be higher if he wasn't shooting a dismal 34.6 percent from the floor.
This game could go either way, but take the Dons and expect Lowhorn to make the difference.
By Sports Network - The Sports Network
GAME NOTES: The San Francisco Dons and Pepperdine Waves meet for the second time in less than a week, only this encounter takes place in the first round of the 2009 West Coast Conference Tournament. The Dons topped the Waves, 70-62, last Saturday to split the season series and extend their lead in the all-time rivalry to 65-46. It was the second win in the past three games for USF, which went just 3-11 in league play during the regular season. The seventh-seeded Dons are 12-21 all-time in this event, taking their lone title back in 1998. As for Pepperdine, it dropped its final four outings of the regular season to dip to 5-9 in conference. The Waves claimed the sixth seed and are gunning for their fourth title in this event and first since 1994. The survivor of this battle will earn the right to face the University of Portland in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
The Dons are paced by the top scorer in the WCC in Dior Lowhorn, who averages 19.7 ppg. Lowhorn is also the team's top rebounder at 6.9 rpg and he is shooting 44 percent from three-point range. USF, however, doesn't have many other options, as Kwame Vaughn is a distant second in scoring with his 10.6 ppg. Blake Wallace adds 8.3 rpg to the equation, and the Dons are generating just 67.1 ppg on 43.1 percent shooting from the floor. The club, though, is giving up a slightly higher 69.7 ppg and slowing down opposing teams has been a problem at times for USF this season.
Hanging on to the ball has been an issue for the Waves this season, as they are committing 16.5 turnovers per game. The miscues have hurt the team at both ends of the floor and the proof is in the 11.7 ppg Pepperdine is being outscored by on average. Keion Bell is the lone player on the roster averaging in double figures, netting 12.6 ppg and he also has a team-best 46 steals to his credit. Bell, though, has been a major reason for the team's inability to keep the ball secure, as his 118 turnovers are nearly double his next closest teammate. Mychel Thompson chips in with 9.7 ppg for Pepperdine, but that average would be higher if he wasn't shooting a dismal 34.6 percent from the floor.
This game could go either way, but take the Dons and expect Lowhorn to make the difference.
