November 6, 2009
Beavers close to winning bowl invitation
Beavers close to winning bowl invitation
Tailbacks Rodgers and Best take center stage in matchup
By Gary Horowitz Statesman Journal
Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers is the reigning Pac-10 offensive player of the year. California tailback Jahvid Best received preseason Heisman Trophy buzz.
Two of the premier running backs in college football will be on opposite sidelines Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif.
Rodgers, who was the first freshman to receive Pac-10 offensive player of the year honors last season, is 14th in the nation in rushing (115.3 yards per game). Best is 21st (104.8 ypg). They've both scored 15 touchdowns, tied for second nationally.
"I don't think I've seen many players in my life faster on the football field than this guy," OSU coach Mike Riley said of Best. "And then he's strong … Quizz is a little more jittery and quick. They're both in their own way tremendous players."
Rodgers, now a sophomore, rushed for 144 yards and one touchdown in OSU's 34-21 victory against Cal last season at Reser Stadium. Best, a junior who could opt for the 2010 NFL draft, ran for 116 yards and a score.
Both players have been used in variations of the wildcat formation, with the tailback lining up in the shot gun. Rodgers threw a 14-yard touchdown pass in last week's 26-19 victory against UCLA.
The Golden Bears generally implement a 3-4 defensive scheme with three down linemen, but Rodgers doesn't expect to see that look for long.
"I think they're gonna have to switch out of it," said Rodgers, who has yet to fumble in 510 career touches (431 runs, 78 receptions, one pass). "Last year they did because they didn't have success stopping the run with it."
Best suffered a concussion late in the Arizona State game Saturday and was held out of practice early this week, but he is expected to play against the Beavers. OSU needs one more victory to become bowl eligible.
Although the marquee running backs receive much of the attention on their teams, the game could come down to the play of OSU senior quarterback Sean Canfield and Cal junior signal-caller Kevin Riley. They will be working against struggling pass defenses.
The Beavers rank 116th among the 120 FBS schools in pass defense allowing 272.1 yards per game. Cal ranks 115th (268 ypg).
Canfield's 68.9 completion percentage is third in the nation and he has not thrown an interception in his past 117 attempts.
Kevin Riley, who was recruited by the Beavers out of Beaverton High School, has a Pac-10 high 13 touchdown passes with just two interceptions.
In the 2007 OSU-Cal game in Berkeley, then-redshirt freshman Kevin Riley made a costly mental mistake in the waning seconds of his first career start that contributed to OSU's 31-28 victory.
With then-No. 2 Cal deep in OSU territory and no timeouts remaining, Kevin Riley scrambled and was tackled at the 10-yard line as time expired. A victory likely would have moved the Bears up to No. 1 in the polls.
"Big mistake, that's all there is to it," Kevin Riley said. "It's just something you learn from, and I've learned from it and gotten better."
Kevin Riley led a game-winning fourth-quarter drive last week in a 23-21 victory at ASU. Cal is on a three-game winning streak since back-to-back lopsided losses to Oregon and USC.
The Beavers, who are 7-point underdogs, have won 8 of the past 10 matchups with Cal, including four in a row in Berkeley.
"It's always a good feeling knowing you've had success in that environment before," OSU cornerback Tim Clark said.
ghorowitz@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6726
Oregon State tailback Jacquizz Rodgers is the reigning Pac-10 offensive player of the year. California tailback Jahvid Best received preseason Heisman Trophy buzz.
Two of the premier running backs in college football will be on opposite sidelines Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, Calif.
Rodgers, who was the first freshman to receive Pac-10 offensive player of the year honors last season, is 14th in the nation in rushing (115.3 yards per game). Best is 21st (104.8 ypg). They've both scored 15 touchdowns, tied for second nationally.
"I don't think I've seen many players in my life faster on the football field than this guy," OSU coach Mike Riley said of Best. "And then he's strong … Quizz is a little more jittery and quick. They're both in their own way tremendous players."
Rodgers, now a sophomore, rushed for 144 yards and one touchdown in OSU's 34-21 victory against Cal last season at Reser Stadium. Best, a junior who could opt for the 2010 NFL draft, ran for 116 yards and a score.
Both players have been used in variations of the wildcat formation, with the tailback lining up in the shot gun. Rodgers threw a 14-yard touchdown pass in last week's 26-19 victory against UCLA.
The Golden Bears generally implement a 3-4 defensive scheme with three down linemen, but Rodgers doesn't expect to see that look for long."I think they're gonna have to switch out of it," said Rodgers, who has yet to fumble in 510 career touches (431 runs, 78 receptions, one pass). "Last year they did because they didn't have success stopping the run with it."
Best suffered a concussion late in the Arizona State game Saturday and was held out of practice early this week, but he is expected to play against the Beavers. OSU needs one more victory to become bowl eligible.
Although the marquee running backs receive much of the attention on their teams, the game could come down to the play of OSU senior quarterback Sean Canfield and Cal junior signal-caller Kevin Riley. They will be working against struggling pass defenses.
The Beavers rank 116th among the 120 FBS schools in pass defense allowing 272.1 yards per game. Cal ranks 115th (268 ypg).
Canfield's 68.9 completion percentage is third in the nation and he has not thrown an interception in his past 117 attempts.
Kevin Riley, who was recruited by the Beavers out of Beaverton High School, has a Pac-10 high 13 touchdown passes with just two interceptions.In the 2007 OSU-Cal game in Berkeley, then-redshirt freshman Kevin Riley made a costly mental mistake in the waning seconds of his first career start that contributed to OSU's 31-28 victory.
With then-No. 2 Cal deep in OSU territory and no timeouts remaining, Kevin Riley scrambled and was tackled at the 10-yard line as time expired. A victory likely would have moved the Bears up to No. 1 in the polls.
"Big mistake, that's all there is to it," Kevin Riley said. "It's just something you learn from, and I've learned from it and gotten better."
Kevin Riley led a game-winning fourth-quarter drive last week in a 23-21 victory at ASU. Cal is on a three-game winning streak since back-to-back lopsided losses to Oregon and USC.
The Beavers, who are 7-point underdogs, have won 8 of the past 10 matchups with Cal, including four in a row in Berkeley.
"It's always a good feeling knowing you've had success in that environment before," OSU cornerback Tim Clark said.
ghorowitz@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6726
Additional Facts
Oregon State at No. 23 California
WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Memorial Coliseum, Berkeley, Calif.
RECORDS: OSU (5-3, 3-2 Pac-10), Cal (6-2, 3-2).
WEATHER: Partly sunny with temperatures in the mid 60s.
ON THE AIR: TV: FSN (Comcast 34).
HOROWITZ ON THE RADIO: Reporter Gary Horowitz will discuss the Oregon State-Cal game on KBZY (1490 AM) at 8:10 am. Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday on KYKN (1430 AM).
Oregon State at No. 23 California
WHEN: 4 p.m. Saturday
WHERE Memorial Coliseum, Berkeley, Calif.
RECORDS: OSU (5-3, 3-2 Pac-10), Cal (6-2, 3-2).
WEATHER: Partly sunny with temperatures in the mid 60s.
ON THE AIR: TV: FSN (Comcast 34).
HOROWITZ ON THE RADIO: Reporter Gary Horowitz will discuss the Oregon State-Cal game on KBZY (1490 AM) at 8:10 am. Friday and at 10 a.m. Saturday on KYKN (1430 AM).
OPPONENTS
Result
Record
Sept. 5, 2009
Maryland
W
52-13
1-0
Sept. 12, 2009
E. Washington
W
59-7
2-0
Sept. 19, 2009
at Minnesota
W
35-21
3-0
Sept. 26, 2009
at Oregon
L
42-3
3-1 (0-1)
Oct. 3, 2009
USC
L
30-3
3-2 (0-2)
Oct. 17, 2009
at UCLA
W
45-26
4-2 (1-2)
Oct. 24, 2009
Wash. St.
W
49-17
5-2 (2-2)
Oct. 31, 2009
at Arizona State
W
23-21
6-2 (3-2)
Nov. 7, 2009
Oregon State
4:00 pm PT
Nov. 14, 2009
Arizona
Nov. 21, 2009
at Stanford
Dec. 5, 2009
at Washington
Result
Record
Sept. 5, 2009
Maryland
W
52-13
1-0
Sept. 12, 2009
E. Washington
W
59-7
2-0
Sept. 19, 2009
at Minnesota
W
35-21
3-0
Sept. 26, 2009
at Oregon
L
42-3
3-1 (0-1)
Oct. 3, 2009
USC
L
30-3
3-2 (0-2)
Oct. 17, 2009
at UCLA
W
45-26
4-2 (1-2)
Oct. 24, 2009
Wash. St.
W
49-17
5-2 (2-2)
Oct. 31, 2009
at Arizona State
W
23-21
6-2 (3-2)
Nov. 7, 2009
Oregon State
4:00 pm PT
Nov. 14, 2009
Arizona
Nov. 21, 2009
at Stanford
Dec. 5, 2009
at Washington
College Basketball Preview - West Coast Conference
Men's Hoops Wins in Exhibition, 75-48
Click on the above video player for a postgame interview with the Waves' Joshua Lowery.
Pepperdine-Westmont Box Score
Nov. 6, 2009
MALIBU, Calif. - Junior forward Mychel Thompson sank five three-pointers and scored 21 points to lead the Pepperdine men's basketball team to a 75-48 exhibition victory over Westmont College of the NAIA on Friday evening.
The Waves led by eight at halftime (28-20) but blew the game open by hitting 72 percent (18-for-25) of their second-half shots. Pepperdine finished the night having made 60.4% of its field goals and held Westmont to 28.8% shooting.
Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) went 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-6 on three-pointers, and also had six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Sophomore forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds and sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep) added 10 points off the bench.
"We played hard tonight," Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. "We did things as a team that we wouldn't have been able to do at this time last year. We settled down as the night went on.
This year we had the experience to finish off a game like this. Our freshman guards did a nice job. Mychel was obviously terrific. Taylor played well too once he settled down. What I really liked was our defense: 25% for the first half, 32% for the second half, 28% for the game. Shooting 60% isn't going to happen every game. We've still got some things to work on but we're getting better."
Westmont took a couple of small leads in the first half and was up 19-17 with less than four minutes to play after an Andrew Schmalbach three-pointer. But Pepperdine ended the first half on an 11-1 run, with Thompson scoring five points and Darby notching four.
Pepperdine took its first double-digit lead at 35-24 with 17 1/2 minutes to play in regulation on a basket by sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS). With a nine-point lead at 46-37 with under 10 minutes to go, the Waves went on a 15-0 run (Darby scoring six) over the next five minutes to go up by 24 at 61-37.The lead extended to 30 points at 75-45 when junior forward Jonathan Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Collin County CC) nailed a jumper.
Westmont was led by Dan Rasp's 18 points and Evan Haines' 10 points.
This was the Waves' only exhibition. Pepperdine opens the regular season next Friday (Nov. 13). It's a doubleheader with the women facing Northern Arizona at 5 p.m. and the men taking on Pacific at 7:30 p.m.
Pepperdine-Westmont Box Score
Nov. 6, 2009
MALIBU, Calif. - Junior forward Mychel Thompson sank five three-pointers and scored 21 points to lead the Pepperdine men's basketball team to a 75-48 exhibition victory over Westmont College of the NAIA on Friday evening.The Waves led by eight at halftime (28-20) but blew the game open by hitting 72 percent (18-for-25) of their second-half shots. Pepperdine finished the night having made 60.4% of its field goals and held Westmont to 28.8% shooting.
Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) went 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-6 on three-pointers, and also had six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Sophomore forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) had 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds and sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep) added 10 points off the bench.
"We played hard tonight," Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. "We did things as a team that we wouldn't have been able to do at this time last year. We settled down as the night went on.
This year we had the experience to finish off a game like this. Our freshman guards did a nice job. Mychel was obviously terrific. Taylor played well too once he settled down. What I really liked was our defense: 25% for the first half, 32% for the second half, 28% for the game. Shooting 60% isn't going to happen every game. We've still got some things to work on but we're getting better."Westmont took a couple of small leads in the first half and was up 19-17 with less than four minutes to play after an Andrew Schmalbach three-pointer. But Pepperdine ended the first half on an 11-1 run, with Thompson scoring five points and Darby notching four.
Pepperdine took its first double-digit lead at 35-24 with 17 1/2 minutes to play in regulation on a basket by sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS). With a nine-point lead at 46-37 with under 10 minutes to go, the Waves went on a 15-0 run (Darby scoring six) over the next five minutes to go up by 24 at 61-37.The lead extended to 30 points at 75-45 when junior forward Jonathan Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Collin County CC) nailed a jumper.
Westmont was led by Dan Rasp's 18 points and Evan Haines' 10 points.
This was the Waves' only exhibition. Pepperdine opens the regular season next Friday (Nov. 13). It's a doubleheader with the women facing Northern Arizona at 5 p.m. and the men taking on Pacific at 7:30 p.m.
The Sports Network
By Scott Haynes, College Basketball Senior Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - OUTLOOK: Every season in the West Coast Conference of late, resembles the one before it, as Gonzaga wins the conference crown going away and everyone else falls in line behind. The 2008-09 season was no different, as the Bulldogs won their ninth straight regular season crown, made it to their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament (Sweet Sixteen) and amassed 28 victories overall.
By Scott Haynes, College Basketball Senior Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - OUTLOOK: Every season in the West Coast Conference of late, resembles the one before it, as Gonzaga wins the conference crown going away and everyone else falls in line behind. The 2008-09 season was no different, as the Bulldogs won their ninth straight regular season crown, made it to their 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament (Sweet Sixteen) and amassed 28 victories overall.
Saint Mary's duplicated Gonzaga's win total (28), but was relegated to the NIT for its efforts, perhaps a slight by the selection committee towards the WCC. No other team eclipsed the 20-win plateau last year, although Portland came very close (19 wins) as the Pilots were the only other squad to secure a winning record. Both San Diego (16-16) and Santa Clara (16-17) had opportunities to join the group, but fell short. Bringing up the rear were San Francisco (11-19), Pepperdine (9-23) and finally Loyola Marymount (3-28).
The 2009-10 campaign figures to be more of the same, with no team really stepping up to be a viable threat to end Gonzaga's reign atop the conference. Portland has the best opportunity to put a scare in the Zags, as Saint Mary's is in a bit of a rebuilding season. San Diego should be improved this season and could push towards a 20-win campaign closing out the top tier teams in the league.
A young Pepperdine squad in 2008-09, should see positive returns this season, as the Waves inch closer to a winning season. Losing the WCC Player of the Year won't be easy for Santa Clara t overcome as the team should be hovering around the .500 mark again. The WCC cellar is reserved for San Francisco and Loyola Marymount. The Dons are severely lacking in the backcourt and the Lions, who were extremely young last season, are still in a transition mode and will struggle once again.
The 2009-10 campaign figures to be more of the same, with no team really stepping up to be a viable threat to end Gonzaga's reign atop the conference. Portland has the best opportunity to put a scare in the Zags, as Saint Mary's is in a bit of a rebuilding season. San Diego should be improved this season and could push towards a 20-win campaign closing out the top tier teams in the league.
A young Pepperdine squad in 2008-09, should see positive returns this season, as the Waves inch closer to a winning season. Losing the WCC Player of the Year won't be easy for Santa Clara t overcome as the team should be hovering around the .500 mark again. The WCC cellar is reserved for San Francisco and Loyola Marymount. The Dons are severely lacking in the backcourt and the Lions, who were extremely young last season, are still in a transition mode and will struggle once again.
CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Gonzaga
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Gonzaga, 2. Portland, 3. Saint Mary's, 4. San Diego, 5. Pepperdine, 6. Santa Clara, 7. San Francisco, 8. Loyola Marymount
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Gonzaga, 2. Portland, 3. Saint Mary's, 4. San Diego, 5. Pepperdine, 6. Santa Clara, 7. San Francisco, 8. Loyola Marymount
PEPPERDINE: There is plenty returning for the Waves this year, including all five starters. The one problem however, is that Pepperdine only won nine games a year ago with its current roster. Getting the team to continue to strive forward is the task at hand for Tom Asbury. The leaders on this team include guard Keion Bell (12.9 ppg) and forward Mychel Thompson (9.6 ppg). Other key contributors include forward Taylor Darby (6.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Lorne Jackson. The Waves know how to play tight defense, they just lack scoring punch. A streak of four straight losing seasons may continue this year, unless everything goes right in Malibu.
Oct. 14, 2009
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Pepperdine's Tom Asbury and basketball coaches from 13 Division I schools ranging from San Diego to San Luis Obispo gathered on Wednesday at the L.A. Athletic Club for the annual Tipoff Luncheon.
Each coach took a few minutes to talk about their teams to the audience, which included boosters and media. Most coaches also used their time to poke some light-hearted fun at their counterparts. Age, hair (or lack thereof) and cooking prowess were some of the targets.
To listen to Coach Asbury's comments, click on the attached video.
The L.A. Athletic Club is home to the Wooden Award, and many coaches acknowledged the fact that it was John Wooden's 99th birthday today.
The Pepperdine men's and women's basketball teams get their first public showing this Friday night (Oct. 16) in the annual "Blue & Orange Madness" at 8:45 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans that are unable to attend can watch the game for free on the Wave Casts player.
Each coach took a few minutes to talk about their teams to the audience, which included boosters and media. Most coaches also used their time to poke some light-hearted fun at their counterparts. Age, hair (or lack thereof) and cooking prowess were some of the targets.To listen to Coach Asbury's comments, click on the attached video.
The L.A. Athletic Club is home to the Wooden Award, and many coaches acknowledged the fact that it was John Wooden's 99th birthday today.
The Pepperdine men's and women's basketball teams get their first public showing this Friday night (Oct. 16) in the annual "Blue & Orange Madness" at 8:45 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans that are unable to attend can watch the game for free on the Wave Casts player.
Oct. 19, 2009
MALIBU, Calif. -- The Pepperdine University Department of Athletics' 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is coming up quickly and tickets to the annual event are still available. Seven of Pepperdine's greats -- Doug Christie, Geoffrey Clark, Bob Ctvrtlik, Katherine Hull, Kelly Jones, John Rettberg and Rod Wilde -- will be honored.
The ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 25, at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, Calif. A reception will be held at 5 p.m., with dinner and the awards presentation at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 per plate and can be purchased by contacting Heather Collart at 310-506-6483 or heather.collart@pepperdine.edu.
From now until the event, PepperdineSports.com will be running profiles on each of the seven inductees. Today is Doug Christie's turn:
It's likely that no other player in Pepperdine basketball history brought more NBA scouts to campus than Doug Christie. He is remembered as one of the most acrobatic, athletic and graceful basketball players ever to grace the program.
He came to Pepperdine from Seattle, Wash., where he was a state player of the year and was regarded as one of the best players on the entire West Coast. Though he had to sit out his first year in Malibu due to NCAA academic requirements, his next three years (1990-92) were some of the best ever seen by a Waves' player.
Christie captured All-American honorable mention honors from multiple publications in both his junior and senior seasons, and was named the West Coast Conference's Player of the Year in both 1991 and 1992. He led the team in scoring, assists and steals both seasons, and averaged 19.5 points per game as a senior. On Pepperdine's career records lists, he still ranks #3 in assists (395), #3 in steals (168), #10 in blocked shots (86) and #15 in points (1,392).
In his final two seasons, Pepperdine won both WCC regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, Christie missed much of the 1991 postseason due to a knee injury, but he came back in his senior season and was awarded Most Valuable Player honors at the WCC Tournament, which included a game-high 26 points in the championship game against Gonzaga. He then added 23 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament game against Memphis State.
Two of his most memorable games came in back-to-back outings against Saint Mary's during the 1990-91 season. Christie poured in a career-high 31 points in a one-point win in Moraga, Calif., on Jan. 26. He then recorded what is possibly the only triple-double in school history, accumulating 21 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a double-overtime, 82-78 home victory on Feb. 1.
After Pepperdine, Christie began what would be a 15-year career in the NBA. He was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the 17th pick of the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft, but would later be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he began his professional career. After a stint with the New York Knicks, he had his most success with the Toronto Raptors and the Sacramento Kings, playing parts of five seasons for both franchises. He won two Pacific Division titles with the Kings and made it to the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Christie's career wound down with stints with the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers before he retired during the 2006-07 season.
Known as one of the league's top stoppers for his stellar defense, he made the NBA's All-Defensive Team four times with the Kings (once on the first team, three times on the second team). With 1,555 steals in his career, he ranks among the top 30 all-time in the NBA. He also ranks among the franchise leaders in steals with both Toronto and Sacramento. He tied an NBA record when he made eight steals in one half against Philadelphia on April 2, 1997.
Last year, Christie was Pepperdine's honoree when the WCC inducted the first class into its new Hall of Honor.
He and his wife, Jackie, have three children, Chantel, Ta'kari and Douglas Jr., and the family resides in Seattle, Wash. Doug and Jackie are well known for their book, No Ordinary Love: A True Story of Marriage and Basketball, and their hit TV show, "Committed: The Christies." He created Christie Sports Management earlier this year to help train and educate young basketball players.
The ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 25, at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, Calif. A reception will be held at 5 p.m., with dinner and the awards presentation at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 per plate and can be purchased by contacting Heather Collart at 310-506-6483 or heather.collart@pepperdine.edu.
From now until the event, PepperdineSports.com will be running profiles on each of the seven inductees. Today is Doug Christie's turn:It's likely that no other player in Pepperdine basketball history brought more NBA scouts to campus than Doug Christie. He is remembered as one of the most acrobatic, athletic and graceful basketball players ever to grace the program.
He came to Pepperdine from Seattle, Wash., where he was a state player of the year and was regarded as one of the best players on the entire West Coast. Though he had to sit out his first year in Malibu due to NCAA academic requirements, his next three years (1990-92) were some of the best ever seen by a Waves' player.
Christie captured All-American honorable mention honors from multiple publications in both his junior and senior seasons, and was named the West Coast Conference's Player of the Year in both 1991 and 1992. He led the team in scoring, assists and steals both seasons, and averaged 19.5 points per game as a senior. On Pepperdine's career records lists, he still ranks #3 in assists (395), #3 in steals (168), #10 in blocked shots (86) and #15 in points (1,392).In his final two seasons, Pepperdine won both WCC regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, Christie missed much of the 1991 postseason due to a knee injury, but he came back in his senior season and was awarded Most Valuable Player honors at the WCC Tournament, which included a game-high 26 points in the championship game against Gonzaga. He then added 23 points in a first-round NCAA Tournament game against Memphis State.
Two of his most memorable games came in back-to-back outings against Saint Mary's during the 1990-91 season. Christie poured in a career-high 31 points in a one-point win in Moraga, Calif., on Jan. 26. He then recorded what is possibly the only triple-double in school history, accumulating 21 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a double-overtime, 82-78 home victory on Feb. 1.
After Pepperdine, Christie began what would be a 15-year career in the NBA. He was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the 17th pick of the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft, but would later be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he began his professional career. After a stint with the New York Knicks, he had his most success with the Toronto Raptors and the Sacramento Kings, playing parts of five seasons for both franchises. He won two Pacific Division titles with the Kings and made it to the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Christie's career wound down with stints with the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers before he retired during the 2006-07 season.
Known as one of the league's top stoppers for his stellar defense, he made the NBA's All-Defensive Team four times with the Kings (once on the first team, three times on the second team). With 1,555 steals in his career, he ranks among the top 30 all-time in the NBA. He also ranks among the franchise leaders in steals with both Toronto and Sacramento. He tied an NBA record when he made eight steals in one half against Philadelphia on April 2, 1997.Last year, Christie was Pepperdine's honoree when the WCC inducted the first class into its new Hall of Honor.
He and his wife, Jackie, have three children, Chantel, Ta'kari and Douglas Jr., and the family resides in Seattle, Wash. Doug and Jackie are well known for their book, No Ordinary Love: A True Story of Marriage and Basketball, and their hit TV show, "Committed: The Christies." He created Christie Sports Management earlier this year to help train and educate young basketball players.
Asbury, Thompson on Wednesday's WCC Live Show
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 10/27/2009
MALIBU, Calif. -- Pepperdine men's basketball coach Tom Asbury and junior captain Mychel Thompson will be among the guests on this Wednesday's WCC Live internet radio show, which airs from 8-9 p.m.
Fans can go to http://wccsports.cstv.com/wcclive/ to listen to the show live online, and afterward to find the archive. Asbury and Thompson will be on at approximately 8:48 p.m. and their segment will run for about 10 minutes. Fans will have the opportunity to call in and ask questions on the listener line at 646-378-1311, or submit their questions via e-mail ahead of time at wcclive@ymail.com.
Earlier in the show, the San Francisco and Santa Clara women's programs and the Loyola Marymount men's programs will have their head coaches and a student-athlete on.
The Pepperdine men's basketball team plays its first exhibition on Friday, Nov. 6 against Westmont at 7 p.m., and then opens the regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 13 against Pacific at 7:30 p.m.
Well the UCLA game will be big as it should be a nationally televised game. But we plan to take it one game at a time. LMU is always big and extra competitive because it is in conference and we hope to take it to them this year. About your game, who do you pattern your game after? Definitely Dwyane Wade. I watch Dwayne nonstop. In fact, before every game I check him out on my iPod and watch clips of him to see how he splits screens and gets underneath. Dwayne Wade and Russell Westbrook are definitely guys I pattern my game after.
Watch Hoops Exhibitions Online for Free
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 10/29/2009
MALIBU, Calif. -- The webcasts of three upcoming basketball exhibition games will be free for everyone to view as a special Wave Casts promotion.
The women begin their exhibition season this Saturday (Oct. 31) against Westmont at 4 p.m. Then, the following Friday (Nov. 6), the women face Cal State L.A. at 4 p.m. and the men take on Westmont at 7 p.m. These games would typically only be available to view online by Wave Casts subscribers, but as a one-time-only promotion, they will be made available to the general public.
Wave Casts subscribers enjoy unparalleled access to Pepperdine Athletics from their home computers. Subscriptions, which cost just $69.95 for an annual pass and $9.95 for a monthly pass, include every men's basketball game (video with Al Epstein's call for all home games, and Al Epstein's online radio broadcast for all road games), every home women's basketball game (video and audio) and selected women's basketball road games (audio only).
Fans of other Pepperdine sports also stay in the loop with Wave Casts subscriptions, as well more than 100 events are broadcast each school year. Subscribers now will catch the rest of the women's volleyball and men's water polo home games, and all of the home games and matches for the upcoming baseball and men's volleyball seasons.
The cost of an annual Wave Casts subscription breaks down to less than a dollar per event!
The Bears escaped Tempe last Saturday with a thrilling win, extending their winning streak to 3 games while gaining bowl eligibility and lifting their Pac-10 record to the positive side of the ledger at 3-2. However, if Cal hopes to continue its winning ways against Oregon State, they're going to have to improve.
The Bears 3 conference wins have come against teams who are a combined 2-13 in conference play and 8-16 overall. In their next three games against Oregon State, Arizona and Stanford, they'll take on teams that are currently 10-5 in conference play and 15-8 overall.
Looking at the common match ups, the same Arizona State team that Cal squeezed by, was destroyed 33-14 by Stanford, admittedly in Palo Alto, and dominated 28-17 by Oregon State in Tempe, one of the more troubling predictive statements about the game this Saturday.
However, there may be some aspects of the ASU common match ups that are misleading. Cal's solid 45-26 victory over UCLA in the Rose Bowl matches up much better against our next 3 opponents who, excepting Arizona's 27-13 victory, all were one score games. For Oregon State in particular, they were tied with UCLA at home with two minutes left and required a last minute drive to win. In any case, all three of those games were road games for UCLA and they performed much better against Cal's future opponents than they did at home against Cal. 
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 10/27/2009
MALIBU, Calif. -- Pepperdine men's basketball coach Tom Asbury and junior captain Mychel Thompson will be among the guests on this Wednesday's WCC Live internet radio show, which airs from 8-9 p.m.
Fans can go to http://wccsports.cstv.com/wcclive/ to listen to the show live online, and afterward to find the archive. Asbury and Thompson will be on at approximately 8:48 p.m. and their segment will run for about 10 minutes. Fans will have the opportunity to call in and ask questions on the listener line at 646-378-1311, or submit their questions via e-mail ahead of time at wcclive@ymail.com.
Earlier in the show, the San Francisco and Santa Clara women's programs and the Loyola Marymount men's programs will have their head coaches and a student-athlete on.
The Pepperdine men's basketball team plays its first exhibition on Friday, Nov. 6 against Westmont at 7 p.m., and then opens the regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 13 against Pacific at 7:30 p.m.
November 4, 2009
MALIBU, Calif. - Pepperdine fans can get their first look at the 2009-10 men's basketball team this Friday night (Nov. 6) as the Waves host their one and only public exhibition against Westmont at 7 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse.
It's part of a doubleheader with the women, who host Cal State L.A. at 4 p.m. in their second exhibition game of the fall. A separate ticket is required for each game. Men's tickets are $15 (lower reserved), $12 (upper reserved), $10 (general admission) and $5 (general admission for children 8 and under).
The first 750 fans at the men's game will receive a free T-shirt (presented by Lily's Café of Malibu). Also, all Pepperdine staff and faculty in attendance can register to win a package of Waves' prizes in a halftime giveaway (presented by Pepperdine Human Resources).
Fans that are unable to make it to Malibu can watch both games online for free as part of a special Wave Casts promotion. Al Epstein, beginning his 25th season with Pepperdine, has the call of the men's game.
A young Pepperdine team made great strides last season under the leadership of Tom Asbury, who returned to Malibu to begin his second stint as the head coach of the Waves. The squad went 9-23 overall and 5-9 for sixth place in the WCC, but three of the top four scorers were freshmen and the other one was a sophomore. The 2009-10 Waves have 11 returning lettermen, among the most in school history.
It's part of a doubleheader with the women, who host Cal State L.A. at 4 p.m. in their second exhibition game of the fall. A separate ticket is required for each game. Men's tickets are $15 (lower reserved), $12 (upper reserved), $10 (general admission) and $5 (general admission for children 8 and under).
The first 750 fans at the men's game will receive a free T-shirt (presented by Lily's Café of Malibu). Also, all Pepperdine staff and faculty in attendance can register to win a package of Waves' prizes in a halftime giveaway (presented by Pepperdine Human Resources).
Fans that are unable to make it to Malibu can watch both games online for free as part of a special Wave Casts promotion. Al Epstein, beginning his 25th season with Pepperdine, has the call of the men's game.
A young Pepperdine team made great strides last season under the leadership of Tom Asbury, who returned to Malibu to begin his second stint as the head coach of the Waves. The squad went 9-23 overall and 5-9 for sixth place in the WCC, but three of the top four scorers were freshmen and the other one was a sophomore. The 2009-10 Waves have 11 returning lettermen, among the most in school history.
Warriors swept away by Waves, 75-48
Posted by Ron Smith - WESTMONT SPORTS INFORMATION on November 7, 2009 · Comments
Westmont men’s basketball had a rough start to the season, falling 75-48 in an exhibition game at Pepperdine. The Warriors kept it close through the first 30 minutes but struggled in the final ten.
“I liked the way we competed in the first half. I thought we were pretty aggressive,” said Westmont Head Coach John Moore. “Then there were a couple of points where they made a couple of threes and I thought we were very tentative in the second half.”
Down 5-2 early in the first half, Andrew Schmalbach nailed a three-point to produce a five-all tie with 17:13 to play. The score remained unchanged for more than four minutes until Mychel Thomspon – the son and namesake of the Lakers’ radio color commentator, who won two NBA titles playing with the Lakers – drained a three-pointer to put the Waves up 8-5.
Joshua Lowry scored on a layup to put Pepperdine up by five, but Dan Rasp answered right back with his own layup to make the score 10-7 at the 13:08 mark. With just under 12 minutes remaining in the half, freshman guard Jordan Sachs drove the baseline to record a layup and put the Warriors within one (10-9).
The Waves answered with a layup on the ensuing possession to recapture a three-point margin. Westmont brought the ball down the floor and once again Sachs drove for the basket. A foul on the play sent Sachs to the line where he drained two free throws to make it a one point game. The Warriors then took the lead (13-12) on an Evan Haines jumper with 9:53 remaining on the first half clock.
Pepperdine recaptured the lead with a 5-0 run consisting of a layup by Thompson and a long-range bomb by Caleb Willis. With 6:15 to play, Blake Bender made one of two free throw attempts to pull the Warriors to within three points (17-14). Haines connected on a turn-around jumper with 5:39 to make the score 17-16 before Schmalbach shot from the right corner and drained his second three-pointer of the half to put the Warriors up 19-17.
“I would have liked for Andrew to take a few more open shots,” said Moore. “Our desire was for him to take 12 shots and he took 11, but I think there were a couple of more open shots that he could have taken.”
The Warriors could not hold on to the lead as the Waves produced an 11-1 run to close out the half and give Pepperdine a 28-20 advantage at the intermission. The first ten minutes of the second half was played nearly equal, with the Waves holding a 46-37 advantage at the midway mark. But a 15-0 run by Pepperdine over the next five-plus minutes put Westmont in hole from which it would not recover. The Waves outscored the Warriors 47-28 in the final frame.
“They shot 72% in the second half and we didn’t defend,” acknowledged Moore. Pepperdine made 18 of 25 and only missed seven shots in the second half. They were six for seven from the three-point line and had non-three point shooters who were making threes. I thought Pepperdine did a great job in the zone and, obviously, we have not spent enough time working on our zone. That will come with time.”
Despite the disappointing ending, Moore found positives to take from the game.
“Evan Haines had a whale of a game,” said Moore. “I thought the most positive thing was how Evan played. I was real encouraged by that.
“For a freshman, Jordan Sachs played with great poise and great comfort. He was good out there and I think it is going to be a very nice player for us.”
The Warriors were led by Rasp with 18 points and four rebounds. Haines tallied 10 points and six boards. Thompson led the Waves with 21 points and six rebounds.
“As our captains said to our team at the end of the game, we put this one away and we move forward,” said Moore.
Westmont will play another exhibition on Wednesday when they travel to Palm Desert to take on Cal State San Bernardino in a seven o’clock game.
Posted by Ron Smith - WESTMONT SPORTS INFORMATION on November 7, 2009 · Comments
Westmont men’s basketball had a rough start to the season, falling 75-48 in an exhibition game at Pepperdine. The Warriors kept it close through the first 30 minutes but struggled in the final ten.
“I liked the way we competed in the first half. I thought we were pretty aggressive,” said Westmont Head Coach John Moore. “Then there were a couple of points where they made a couple of threes and I thought we were very tentative in the second half.”
Down 5-2 early in the first half, Andrew Schmalbach nailed a three-point to produce a five-all tie with 17:13 to play. The score remained unchanged for more than four minutes until Mychel Thomspon – the son and namesake of the Lakers’ radio color commentator, who won two NBA titles playing with the Lakers – drained a three-pointer to put the Waves up 8-5.
Joshua Lowry scored on a layup to put Pepperdine up by five, but Dan Rasp answered right back with his own layup to make the score 10-7 at the 13:08 mark. With just under 12 minutes remaining in the half, freshman guard Jordan Sachs drove the baseline to record a layup and put the Warriors within one (10-9).
The Waves answered with a layup on the ensuing possession to recapture a three-point margin. Westmont brought the ball down the floor and once again Sachs drove for the basket. A foul on the play sent Sachs to the line where he drained two free throws to make it a one point game. The Warriors then took the lead (13-12) on an Evan Haines jumper with 9:53 remaining on the first half clock.
Pepperdine recaptured the lead with a 5-0 run consisting of a layup by Thompson and a long-range bomb by Caleb Willis. With 6:15 to play, Blake Bender made one of two free throw attempts to pull the Warriors to within three points (17-14). Haines connected on a turn-around jumper with 5:39 to make the score 17-16 before Schmalbach shot from the right corner and drained his second three-pointer of the half to put the Warriors up 19-17.“I would have liked for Andrew to take a few more open shots,” said Moore. “Our desire was for him to take 12 shots and he took 11, but I think there were a couple of more open shots that he could have taken.”
The Warriors could not hold on to the lead as the Waves produced an 11-1 run to close out the half and give Pepperdine a 28-20 advantage at the intermission. The first ten minutes of the second half was played nearly equal, with the Waves holding a 46-37 advantage at the midway mark. But a 15-0 run by Pepperdine over the next five-plus minutes put Westmont in hole from which it would not recover. The Waves outscored the Warriors 47-28 in the final frame.“They shot 72% in the second half and we didn’t defend,” acknowledged Moore. Pepperdine made 18 of 25 and only missed seven shots in the second half. They were six for seven from the three-point line and had non-three point shooters who were making threes. I thought Pepperdine did a great job in the zone and, obviously, we have not spent enough time working on our zone. That will come with time.”
Despite the disappointing ending, Moore found positives to take from the game.
“Evan Haines had a whale of a game,” said Moore. “I thought the most positive thing was how Evan played. I was real encouraged by that.
“For a freshman, Jordan Sachs played with great poise and great comfort. He was good out there and I think it is going to be a very nice player for us.”
The Warriors were led by Rasp with 18 points and four rebounds. Haines tallied 10 points and six boards. Thompson led the Waves with 21 points and six rebounds.
“As our captains said to our team at the end of the game, we put this one away and we move forward,” said Moore.
Westmont will play another exhibition on Wednesday when they travel to Palm Desert to take on Cal State San Bernardino in a seven o’clock game.
Sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS), a preseason All-WCC first team selection, and junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep), the team captain, are among the top returners. The Waves posted a 97-80 win over Westmont in exhibition play two seasons ago. Last year, the Warriors went 16-14 overall and took sixth place in the Golden State Athletic Conference with a 10-10 record
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Profiles in Sports: Pepperdine University's Keion Bell
Sophomore Keion Bell made a slam dunk, after jumping over five team- mates during Pepperine University’s Blue and Orange Madness event Oct. 16.
By Shane Igoe / Special to The Malibu Times
Published:
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 1:13 PM PST
The Pepperdine basketball team recently held its annual Blue and Orange Madness event to open the season and if the intrasquad scrimmage's success is any indication, the Waves will be reaching new heights in 2010, as they are seeing an unprecedented swell of support from fans throughout the nation.Although the Blue and Orange event showcased the entire Wave team, most eyes were focused on sophomore sensation Keion Bell who not only turned heads with a dunk over three teammates in last year's Madness event, but carried his talent over into the regular season netting team bests of 12.9 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.Bell didn't stop there, however.The 6-foot, 3-inch-tall guard launched himself over five teammates-four of them standing at 6 feet, 2 inches tall and the other at 6 feet, 1 inch in height-to win the Waves' dunk contest for a second straight year.
Bell's slam could be dubbed “the dunk seen around the world” as video of the feat quickly spread becoming a YouTube sensation (at of the time of printing the clip has reached more than one million hits). His catapult was also featured on ESPN Sports Center as the No. 2 “Play of the Day,” was picked as Sports Illustrated's “Hot Click” and was the headline story on Yahoo's home page.If that wasn't enough, Bell was also just named to the preseason All-WCC First Team.In a way, Bell's hurdle over five players was representative of the team's early season obstacles as the Waves faced a tough lineup of five high profile opponents including UCLA, UC Irvine, Utah, Georgia and Miami all before tipping off conference play against cross-town rival Loyola Marymount in early January. The 
Pepperdine men's hoops team tips off its 2009-2010 season hosting Pacific next Friday Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and their last exhibition game will be against Westmont this Friday at 7 p.m. Tell us about the evolution of your “human catapult” dunk. Well, last year I dunked over three people and I guess it got fans pretty pumped up. As we got closer to this year's Blue and Orange Madness, more people kept coming up to me on campus asking me what I was going to do in this year's dunk contest, so I knew I had to come up with something special. So when one of my teammates, Josh Lowery, asked what was the most [number of people] I had jumped over and I mentioned I had actually dunked over more than three people ... that was the spark.So I just went for it. The crowd went crazy and I was really appreciative but I had no idea it would become as big as it has. 
So will we be seeing a clip of you dunking over six people sometime soon or will we have to wait until next year's Blue and Orange Madness game? I have actually dunked over six people so we will see. I am working with our team video guy to do something to put out there soon to perhaps showcase some of my other dunks but right now my main focus is on our team as we open play next week.Tell us about your team. You guys are young and return to your core nucleus.Well, first of all we look to make a drastic improvement on our record last year. A lot of us saw a lot of time as freshman and sophomores but we realized we needed to get stronger and be more physical this year. So over the summer we all focused on getting bigger and since some of us took summer session together we were able to hit the weight room and gym together in the off-season. We were all we gym rats. Plus we have a lot of players back from injury so we are really looking forward to this year.
Speaking of having people back, you are in a unique situation as legendary Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury, who led the Waves to the big dance in the early 1990s, is back as head coach.
Having Coach Asbury is awesome. Having someone back who's been successful and has been where we want to be before is so helpful. As players it is great to know he is a winner. Coach instills in us a winning mentality and under him we just hope to keep improving year in and year out and see where it takes us. Talk to us about some of your big games in the 2010 campaign. Obviously, the rivalry with LMU dates back to coach Asbury's days versus Hank Gathers et al, but now you also have UCLA on the schedule.
Sophomore Keion Bell made a slam dunk, after jumping over five team- mates during Pepperine University’s Blue and Orange Madness event Oct. 16.
By Shane Igoe / Special to The Malibu Times
Published:
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 1:13 PM PST
The Pepperdine basketball team recently held its annual Blue and Orange Madness event to open the season and if the intrasquad scrimmage's success is any indication, the Waves will be reaching new heights in 2010, as they are seeing an unprecedented swell of support from fans throughout the nation.Although the Blue and Orange event showcased the entire Wave team, most eyes were focused on sophomore sensation Keion Bell who not only turned heads with a dunk over three teammates in last year's Madness event, but carried his talent over into the regular season netting team bests of 12.9 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game.Bell didn't stop there, however.The 6-foot, 3-inch-tall guard launched himself over five teammates-four of them standing at 6 feet, 2 inches tall and the other at 6 feet, 1 inch in height-to win the Waves' dunk contest for a second straight year.
Bell's slam could be dubbed “the dunk seen around the world” as video of the feat quickly spread becoming a YouTube sensation (at of the time of printing the clip has reached more than one million hits). His catapult was also featured on ESPN Sports Center as the No. 2 “Play of the Day,” was picked as Sports Illustrated's “Hot Click” and was the headline story on Yahoo's home page.If that wasn't enough, Bell was also just named to the preseason All-WCC First Team.In a way, Bell's hurdle over five players was representative of the team's early season obstacles as the Waves faced a tough lineup of five high profile opponents including UCLA, UC Irvine, Utah, Georgia and Miami all before tipping off conference play against cross-town rival Loyola Marymount in early January. The 
Pepperdine men's hoops team tips off its 2009-2010 season hosting Pacific next Friday Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and their last exhibition game will be against Westmont this Friday at 7 p.m. Tell us about the evolution of your “human catapult” dunk. Well, last year I dunked over three people and I guess it got fans pretty pumped up. As we got closer to this year's Blue and Orange Madness, more people kept coming up to me on campus asking me what I was going to do in this year's dunk contest, so I knew I had to come up with something special. So when one of my teammates, Josh Lowery, asked what was the most [number of people] I had jumped over and I mentioned I had actually dunked over more than three people ... that was the spark.So I just went for it. The crowd went crazy and I was really appreciative but I had no idea it would become as big as it has. 
So will we be seeing a clip of you dunking over six people sometime soon or will we have to wait until next year's Blue and Orange Madness game? I have actually dunked over six people so we will see. I am working with our team video guy to do something to put out there soon to perhaps showcase some of my other dunks but right now my main focus is on our team as we open play next week.Tell us about your team. You guys are young and return to your core nucleus.Well, first of all we look to make a drastic improvement on our record last year. A lot of us saw a lot of time as freshman and sophomores but we realized we needed to get stronger and be more physical this year. So over the summer we all focused on getting bigger and since some of us took summer session together we were able to hit the weight room and gym together in the off-season. We were all we gym rats. Plus we have a lot of players back from injury so we are really looking forward to this year.
Speaking of having people back, you are in a unique situation as legendary Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury, who led the Waves to the big dance in the early 1990s, is back as head coach.
Having Coach Asbury is awesome. Having someone back who's been successful and has been where we want to be before is so helpful. As players it is great to know he is a winner. Coach instills in us a winning mentality and under him we just hope to keep improving year in and year out and see where it takes us. Talk to us about some of your big games in the 2010 campaign. Obviously, the rivalry with LMU dates back to coach Asbury's days versus Hank Gathers et al, but now you also have UCLA on the schedule. 
Well the UCLA game will be big as it should be a nationally televised game. But we plan to take it one game at a time. LMU is always big and extra competitive because it is in conference and we hope to take it to them this year. About your game, who do you pattern your game after? Definitely Dwyane Wade. I watch Dwayne nonstop. In fact, before every game I check him out on my iPod and watch clips of him to see how he splits screens and gets underneath. Dwayne Wade and Russell Westbrook are definitely guys I pattern my game after..
You grew up in the L.A. area and came to Pepperdine by way of a prep school in Pasadena. Clippers or Lakers? I am a diehard Lakers fan. Kobe is just the best and now with [Ron] Artest added they are the team to beat once again. Artest's defense and intensity are a great addition. Doug Christie, a former Pepperdine hoops star who had success in the NBA as a 15-year pro, was just inducted into the Waves Hall of Fame last week. Is that a path you hope to follow? Well that's where very basketball player wants to be. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be, play my position well and help my team the best I can.
You grew up in the L.A. area and came to Pepperdine by way of a prep school in Pasadena. Clippers or Lakers? I am a diehard Lakers fan. Kobe is just the best and now with [Ron] Artest added they are the team to beat once again. Artest's defense and intensity are a great addition. Doug Christie, a former Pepperdine hoops star who had success in the NBA as a 15-year pro, was just inducted into the Waves Hall of Fame last week. Is that a path you hope to follow? Well that's where very basketball player wants to be. I just want to be the best basketball player I can be, play my position well and help my team the best I can.
Watch Hoops Exhibitions Online for Free
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 10/29/2009
MALIBU, Calif. -- The webcasts of three upcoming basketball exhibition games will be free for everyone to view as a special Wave Casts promotion.
The women begin their exhibition season this Saturday (Oct. 31) against Westmont at 4 p.m. Then, the following Friday (Nov. 6), the women face Cal State L.A. at 4 p.m. and the men take on Westmont at 7 p.m. These games would typically only be available to view online by Wave Casts subscribers, but as a one-time-only promotion, they will be made available to the general public.
Wave Casts subscribers enjoy unparalleled access to Pepperdine Athletics from their home computers. Subscriptions, which cost just $69.95 for an annual pass and $9.95 for a monthly pass, include every men's basketball game (video with Al Epstein's call for all home games, and Al Epstein's online radio broadcast for all road games), every home women's basketball game (video and audio) and selected women's basketball road games (audio only).
Fans of other Pepperdine sports also stay in the loop with Wave Casts subscriptions, as well more than 100 events are broadcast each school year. Subscribers now will catch the rest of the women's volleyball and men's water polo home games, and all of the home games and matches for the upcoming baseball and men's volleyball seasons.The cost of an annual Wave Casts subscription breaks down to less than a dollar per event!
CAL vs OSU
The Bears escaped Tempe last Saturday with a thrilling win, extending their winning streak to 3 games while gaining bowl eligibility and lifting their Pac-10 record to the positive side of the ledger at 3-2. However, if Cal hopes to continue its winning ways against Oregon State, they're going to have to improve.The Bears 3 conference wins have come against teams who are a combined 2-13 in conference play and 8-16 overall. In their next three games against Oregon State, Arizona and Stanford, they'll take on teams that are currently 10-5 in conference play and 15-8 overall.
Looking at the common match ups, the same Arizona State team that Cal squeezed by, was destroyed 33-14 by Stanford, admittedly in Palo Alto, and dominated 28-17 by Oregon State in Tempe, one of the more troubling predictive statements about the game this Saturday.
However, there may be some aspects of the ASU common match ups that are misleading. Cal's solid 45-26 victory over UCLA in the Rose Bowl matches up much better against our next 3 opponents who, excepting Arizona's 27-13 victory, all were one score games. For Oregon State in particular, they were tied with UCLA at home with two minutes left and required a last minute drive to win. In any case, all three of those games were road games for UCLA and they performed much better against Cal's future opponents than they did at home against Cal. 
This all suggests these teams are pretty evenly matched.
Areas of strength for the Beavers include their passing game. Their 272.2 yards per game passing is somewhat impressive, but not nearly as impressive as their 68.1 completion percentage. Another area is their run defense, which has been just as stout in yards per game and nearly as stout in yards per play.
As for the Bears, they'll be hoping to keep OSU one-dimensional by keeping the run game in check. Their run defense continues to be impressive giving up 108.9 yards per game. If they can accomplish that and get their potent run offense going, still one of the conferences best at 195.9 yards per game, they may able to play keep-away from the OSU passing game, currently the conference's best, preventing it from ever getting going.
One thing that can likely be expected from this game is few mistakes. Both teams are towards the top of the league in fewest turnovers allowed and mediocre to poor when it comes to turnovers forced. Cal's penalties per game were really hurt by the ASU game, which was very tightly called, but overall they still have fairly impressive numbers in that "mistake" category. Oregon State's penalty numbers are not as good, but still not horrendous.
All of this suggests that this game will likely be won by whoever has better execution. Can the Bears corral the OSU passing game enough to keep them in check? Can the Beaver run defense force the Bears to rely on their passing game? Will Cal's pass rush be able to get to Canfield? These are all questions that are difficult to answer based on the numbers.
The Bears home field advantage might just be the key difference in this one.
Areas of strength for the Beavers include their passing game. Their 272.2 yards per game passing is somewhat impressive, but not nearly as impressive as their 68.1 completion percentage. Another area is their run defense, which has been just as stout in yards per game and nearly as stout in yards per play.
As for the Bears, they'll be hoping to keep OSU one-dimensional by keeping the run game in check. Their run defense continues to be impressive giving up 108.9 yards per game. If they can accomplish that and get their potent run offense going, still one of the conferences best at 195.9 yards per game, they may able to play keep-away from the OSU passing game, currently the conference's best, preventing it from ever getting going.
One thing that can likely be expected from this game is few mistakes. Both teams are towards the top of the league in fewest turnovers allowed and mediocre to poor when it comes to turnovers forced. Cal's penalties per game were really hurt by the ASU game, which was very tightly called, but overall they still have fairly impressive numbers in that "mistake" category. Oregon State's penalty numbers are not as good, but still not horrendous.All of this suggests that this game will likely be won by whoever has better execution. Can the Bears corral the OSU passing game enough to keep them in check? Can the Beaver run defense force the Bears to rely on their passing game? Will Cal's pass rush be able to get to Canfield? These are all questions that are difficult to answer based on the numbers.
The Bears home field advantage might just be the key difference in this one.
