Men's Hoops Edges Santa Clara, 61-60
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 01/14/2010
Pepperdine-Santa Clara Box Score
MALIBU, Calif. - Sophomore guard Lorne Jackson scored 15 points and made a key defensive play in the final seconds to help the Pepperdine men's basketball team edge Santa Clara, 61-60, in West Coast Conference play at Firestone Fieldhouse on Thursday.
The Broncos had two opportunities in the final seconds to win the game. Marc Trasolini missed a shot in the paint with less than 10 seconds to go, but the Waves missed two free throws with 5.7 seconds left. Santa Clara's Robert Smith raced up the floor but as he neared the basket, Jackson knocked the ball out of his hands and time expired.
The Waves improved to 6-12 overall and are now 2-0 in the WCC for the first time since 2005. They have beaten the Broncos (8-12, 0-3) five straight times in Firestone Fieldhouse and in 13 of the last 14 meetings.
"It was a good win," Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. "It was a typical Pepperdine-Santa Clara game. Conference games are hard to win and these games are all wars. These first three games are crucial for us. I'm proud of the guys."
Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) tied his career high with four three-pointers for the second straight game. He also added a game-high five assists and pulled down four rebounds."We started off slow tonight and so did I," Jackson said. "After my first two turnovers, I knew I needed to step it up. This game was a big win for us. We haven't started 2-0 in a while."
Regarding the final play of the game, Jackson said: "I saw him driving and I just went over and swiped at the ball. I hit it cleanly. Luckily there was no call."
Junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) and sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) each scored 13 points.
Despite being outshot (46.7%-41.5%), outrebounded (37-27) and making just nine of 19 free throws (47.4%), the Waves were able to pull this one out. They made eight three-pointers and forced 16 turnovers to help put things in their favor.
The Waves got off to a slow start and Santa Clara was able to take a 17-9 lead after 12 minutes of play. Pepperdine responded with a 15-3 run, however, with Thompson scoring eight points. Jackson's three-pointer gave the Waves their first lead at 21-20 with 4:06 to play, and Thompson hit his second three-pointer to make it 24-20 with 3:14 to go. Pepperdine went into the break with a 30-27 advantage.
Santa Clara took a couple of one and two-point leads in the second half, but Pepperdine went ahead to stay at 45-44 on a three-pointer by Jackson with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Waves led by as many as eight, first at 55-47 after two free throws by sophomore center Corbin Moore (Cypress, Calif./Los Alamitos HS) and again at 57-49 with 4:12 to go after a basket by Bell.
The Broncos trimmed the lead to one with a minute and a half left, but Jackson made two free throws with 1:24 left. A basket by Santa Clara's Trasolini with 1:06 made it a one-point game again, but that was the final scoring of the contest.
Pepperdine continues WCC play at home on Saturday (Jan. 16) against San Francisco at 7 p.m. The Waves are looking to go 3-0 in the conference for the first time since 2002. Fans can watch the webcast and listen to Al Epstein's broadcast at http://www.pepperdinesports.com/?SPSID=90183&SPID=10851&DB_OEM_ID=18500 with a subscription to Wave Casts.
Men's Basketball Home
Men fall at Pepperdine
Jan. 14, 2010
Final Stats
Santa Clara and Pepperdine battled hard all night and the Broncos had a chance to win it in the end, but Pepperdine came away with a 61-60 win on Thursday night in Malibu. Santa Clara has lost 13 of its last 14 games in Malibu. Santa Clara is 8-12 and 0-3 in the WCC and Pepperdine moves to 6-12 and 2-0 in the WCC. Santa Clara plays LMU on Sat., Jan. 16 in Los Angeles in a FOX West-televised game at 8 pm.
Santa Clara shot 46.7 percent from the field, including 37.5 percent from beyond the arc. The Broncos collected 37 rebounds, four steals and three blocks with 16 turnovers. Pepperdine shot 41.5 percent from the field, including 44.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Waves collected 27 rebounds, four steals and three blocks with 11 turnovers.
"Our effort was there. We fought hard," said Bronco head coach Kerry Keating. "We had two shots in the end to win it. I didn't think Marc was aggressive enough and Robert drove to the basket and there was a lot of contact. We are hurting, there were tears in our lockerroom after this one. Now we are going into a team that also needs a win, too. They lost at home tonight and they are hurting, too. We want to continue to get better and tomorrow is another step."
Individually Robert Smith scored 15 and Ray Cowels added 12 - all three-pointers in the second half. Marc Trasolini and Michael Santos both scored nine points. Santos' parents brought family friends, Joe and Jennifer Montana and their youngest son to the game.
Pepperdine was led by Lorne Jackson, who scored 15; and Mychel Thompson and Keion Bell both knocked down 13.
In the first half Santa Clara jumped out a quick 8-2 lead at 17:19 on two baskets by Santos, including a dunk, one by Smith and two Ben Dowdell free throws.
Santa Clara went up 10-4 on a jumper by Smith at 15:04. But the Waves came back to score five straight to make it 10-9 Broncos at 11:48.
Santa Clara laced together its 7-0 run. Niyi Harrison hit a five-foot jumper to give the Broncos a 12-9 lead at 11:21 and end a four-minute scoring drought. After an errant three by the Waves, Santa Clara worked the clock down and Smith knocked down a three at 10:07 to give SCU a 15-9 lead.
The two traded baskets with Santa Clara pushing ahead 20-18 on a free throw by Harrison.Pepperdine went up 21-20 on a three by Jackson at 3:50 and then Thompson hit a three at 3:07 to push the lead to 24-21. The two traded baskets again as the Waves took a four-point lead at 2:03, 26-22.
Harrison answered with two free throws to make it 26-24 Pepperdine and a minutes later Santos crushed a three to make it 28-27 Waves at 45.1. Pepperdine took a 30-27 lead to the lockerroom at the half. Smith had 11 points at the break, Santos added seven. Pepperdine was led by Thompson's eight points.
Santa Clara tied it up 32-32 at 16:34 on back-to-back baskets by Santos and Trasolini. Trasolini's two free throws at 15:24 gave SCU a 34-32 lead. The two traded baskets again with the scored knotted at 36-36 at 13:53. A dunk by Harrison at 13:13 gave SCU a 38-36, but Pepperdine scored five straight to take a 41-38 lead at 12:40.
Cowels knocked down his first and second shots of the night, a threes, to give the Broncos a 44-42 lead, but PU answered with two threes of its own to take a 48-44 lead at 9:22. Cowels hit a third three and the Waves answered twice, taking a 53-47 lead.
Corbin Moore hit two free throws to give Pepperdine its largest lead of the night, 55-47, with 5:42 to go. The Waves were on a 7-0 run when Smith stopped it with two free throws to make it 55-49 Pepperdine at 4:50. The two teams traded baskets to make it 57-51 Waves at the last media timeout at 3:26.
After Bell was called for traveling, Ben Dowdell dunked it home to make it 57-53 Waves at 2:51, but Bell answered with a basket. Two Smith free throws made it 59-55 Waves at 1:52.
After another Bell miscue, a carry, Cowels knocked down his fourth three of the half to make it 59-58 Pepperdine at 1:29.
Two Pepperdine free throws and a Trasolini basket and it was a one-point game with 29.2 when Bronco head coach Kerry Keating called timeout with the Waves leading 29.2.
Santa Clara shot went off the rim and Smith was called with his fourth foul of the game at 5.7 left. Thompson missed both and Santa Clara had a chance with a few ticks left, but Smith's shot at the buzzer was off after a very physical play under the basket.
Associated Press
MALIBU, Calif. -- Lorne Jackson had 15 points and a game-best five assists Thursday night as Pepperdine held off Santa Clara 61-60.
Jackson tied his career high with four 3-pointers for the second straight game, and Mychel Thompson and Keion Bell scored 13 apiece for the Waves (6-12, 2-0 West Coast Conference).
Robert Smith led the Broncos (8-12, 0-3) with 15 points, and Raymond Cowels added 12.
Bell's jumper with 4:11 left gave Pepperdine a 57-49 cushion.
But Santa Clara came back with an 11-4 run and trailed just 61-60 on Marc Trasolini's basket with 1:09 left.
The score stayed 61-60 when Thompson was fouled with 5 seconds left. He missed both free throws, but Smith had the ball knocked out of his hands under the basket as time ran out.
Santa Clara outrebounded Pepperdine 37-27 but had 16 turnovers to 11 for the Waves.
latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-southland15-2010jan15,0,5738604.story
latimes.com
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Southland roundup: Pepperdine edges Santa Clara
Lorne Jackson makes four three-points and scores 15 points for the Waves.
January 15, 2010
at Pepperdine 61, Santa Clara 60: Lorne Jackson had 15 points, making four three-pointers, as the Waves (6-12, 2-0 West Coast Conference) held off the Broncos (8-12, 0-3). Robert Smith led Santa Clara with 15 points, but he had the ball knocked out of his hands under the basket as time ran out.
Santa Clara (8-11) at Pepperdine (5-12)Loyola Marymount (9-7) at Pepperdine (4-12)
Loyola Marymount (9-7) at Pepperdine (4-12)
GAME NOTES: West Coast Conference play begins in Malibu tonight, as the Pepperdine Waves host the Loyola Marymount Lions at Firestone Fieldhouse.
The Waves struggled through their non-conference slate, winning just four of their 16 outings. The team has dropped its last two contests, including an 86-63 setback against Miami-Florida last Sunday. It was the seventh loss in nine homes games for Pepperdine, which is now looking to turn things around in WCC play.
As for the Lions, they head into league play with a full head of steam, having won each of their past six outings. The streak, which is the teams longest since the 1995-96 season, started with a surprising win at Notre Dame and continued last Saturday an 81-73 triumph at Cal State Bakersfield. LMU is now 9-7 overall and that includes a 4-3 record on the road, where the team has won three in a row.
•
Harvard (10-3) at Santa Clara (8-8)
Harvard (10-3) at Santa Clara (8-8)
GAME NOTES: The Harvard Crimson shoots for its fourth win in a row tonight as the team challenges the Santa Clara Broncos in a non-conference bout at the Leavey Center.
Harvard made the trip out west over the weekend and easily took care of Seattle University with a 92-71 triumph. The victory was the third in a row and the fourth in the last five games for a team that has already logged a trio of three-game win streaks on the season. As for the Broncos, they are in the midst of a lengthy eight-game homestand that has already resulted in a 2-3 mark. On Saturday, Santa Clara snapped a three-game slide with a narrow 71-68 victory over New Hampshire, drawing the squad to an even 8-8 on the season, and 5-5 at home.
•Heytvelt, Bouldin help keep Gonzaga unbeaten in WCC
Heytvelt, Bouldin help keep Gonzaga unbeaten in WCC
Gonzaga's annual visit to Santa Clara has become a South Bay basketball event, and Thursday nights thriller was no exception.
The game went back-and-forth for 35 minutes until the 17th-ranked Zags pulled away for an 81-73 victory in Santa Clara, Calif. Josh Heytvelt scored a career-high 29 points, and Matt Bouldin added 23, helping Gonzaga remain undefeated in the West Coast Conference.
•
Miami-Florida (13-1) at Pepperdine (4-11)
Miami-Florida (13-1) at Pepperdine (4-11)
GAME NOTES: The red-hot Miami-Florida Hurricanes will take the floor at the Firestone Fieldhouse this evening to battle the Pepperdine Waves in a non- conference battle in Malibu.
The Hurricanes have stormed through their schedule up to this point in the season, winning 13 of their 14 matchups. Miami has won its last five matchups, and comes into this game fresh off a 73-55 victory over Bethune-Cookman. The lone loss for the Hurricanes did come on the road, as the team was defeated in ACC action by Boston College, 61-60.
Since opening the year with a 3-3 mark the Waves have come crashing down, losing eight of their last nine contests. The most recent setback for Pepperdine was an embarrassing, 64-47 loss to Georgia. The Waves have been terrible at home this year, dropping six of their eight contests at the Firestone Fieldhouse.
•
Saint Mary's-CA (14-2) at Santa Clara (8-10)
Saint Mary's-CA (14-2) at Santa Clara (8-10)
GAME NOTES: The Saint Mary's-CA Gaels take their act on the road again tonight as they clash with the Santa Clara Broncos in West Coast Conference action at the Leavey Center.
Since losing to USC during the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii a couple days before Christmas, the Gaels have put together a string of four straight wins and have now posted victories in 12 of the last 13 games overall. On Friday night, the tea, ripped apart the San Francisco Dons on the road in an 83-62 final to open WCC play.
Meanwhile, the Broncos were also on the hardwood two nights ago, but for them the results were not as encouraging as they suffered a 55-46 loss to San Diego at home, marking the team's seventh straight home date during this long run. The 55 points allowed were tied for the second fewest given up by SCU this season, but the 46 points scored by the Broncos were by far their lowest total of 2009-10.
By Sports Network; The Sports Network
Published: 01/14/10 7:53 am
GAME NOTES: The Santa Clara Broncos have made the trip to Malibu for a West Coast Conference clash with the Pepperdine Waves.Santa Clara has lost three straight games and six of the last seven to move to 8-11 overall and 0-2 in league action. The Broncos are coming off an 80-72 loss to Saint Mary's-CA on Sunday and have actually had more success on the road this season than at home.
As for Pepperdine, it managed to halt a two-game skid with a 79-75 victory over Loyola Marymount last Saturday. The Waves are still a disappointing 5-12 overall, and just three of their 10 home games have resulted in victory.
The Broncos own a 65-53 series advantage over Pepperdine, but the Waves are 28-8 in Malibu against Santa Clara.
Santa Clara turned the ball over just seven times against Saint Mary's on Sunday. The Broncos actually played fairly well in that contest, but a 38-31 rebounding deficit hurt the cause, as did the fact that they finished with 14 fewer assists than did the Gaels. Robert Smith scored a career-high 23 points in the setback, and Marc Trasolini contributed 18 points and nine rebounds. As for Raymond Cowels, he tallied 10 points. Standout Kevin Foster continues to be sidelined with a foot injury, and his 19.8 ppg have been sorely missed. Trasolini provides 13.7 ppg, and Smith has elevated his average to 12.1 ppg. The Broncos are generating 66.0 ppg while allowing 70.6 ppg.
Through 17 outings, Pepperdine is averaging 69.3 ppg while allowing 74.4 ppg. The Waves are shooting just 41.2 percent from the floor and have turned the ball over 250 times, 53 more than their foes. Keion Bell continues to be the go-to guy at the offensive end of the floor, as he is generating 19.6 ppg. Mychel Thompson checks in with 11.9 ppg, but his 38.2 percent field goal efficiency leaves much to be desired. As for Dan Suttle Jr., he contributes 10.3 ppg. In the much-needed victory over Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine shot 14-of-23 from three-point range, a stellar effort that offset a 19-9 deficit in points from the foul line. Thompson was sensational, connecting on 6-of-7 three-pointers en route to 22 points. Lorne Jackson pitched in 17 points and six assists, while Bell posted 16 points.Pepperdine will move to 2-0 in league play with a narrow victory over Santa Clara. The Malibu crowd will make the difference.
West Coast Conference
Pepperdine - Team Notes
GETTING INSIDE
Can one halftime speech turn a season around?
Pepperdine seemed headed for doom in its Jan. 9 home game against Loyola Marymount. The Waves had lost nine of their previous 10 games and had not looked good in the process.
And when they fell behind by 17 points in the first half of their conference opener against Loyola Marymount, the season seemed to be collapsing. Pepperdine still trailed by 13 at halftime, which is when coach Tom Asbury lit into his team for its lackluster play. "We played our worst half of basketball this season," Waves guard Lorne Jackson said. "Coach chewed us out and told us to play hard."
The Waves responded.
Loyola Marymount still held a 13-point lead with 18:44 left in the game, at which point Pepperdine took over, outscoring the Lions 20-1 over the next six minutes. There were still some shaky moments as the Waves got behind again before controlling the final two minutes of the game to pull out a 79-75 win over a Loyola Marymount team that had won six consecutive games.
So instead of having their confidence take another hit, the Waves are suddenly feeling good about themselves. The Waves are starting to play like the team they were expected to be, and with home games up next against the two of the worst teams in the conference, San Francisco and Santa Clara, Pepperdine is in position to be 3-0 in the WCC. Pepperdine has enough talent to challenge for an upper-division finish in the WCC. Most of the key players are back from last season's team, which finished 5-9 in the conference and showed improvement late in the season.
Keion Bell has been a standout player all season, and Mychel Thompson has the ability to be a good player in the WCC as well. Thompson responded with a big game against Loyola Marymount, and the Waves seem to be more talented than the results have shown so far. The boost provided by the victory over Loyola Marymount might turn things around for the Waves.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Pepperdine has won 23 of its last 25 games against Loyola Marymount and has won 12 straight at home against the Lions.
--The Waves were 0-for-5 from the foul line over the first 38 minutes of their Jan. 9 game against Loyola Marymount, but they made 9-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes to help win the game.
--Pepperdine was 9-for-12 on three-pointers in the second half against Loyola Marymount and 14-for-23 for the game.
ON THE SPOT: Keion Bell is clearly the team's best player and one of the best players in the WCC, but his production has slipped a bit lately. In the last four games, Bell was 16-for-52 from the field (30.8 percent) and 3-for-13 on three-pointers. Although Pepperdine beat Loyola Marymount, Bell had eight turnovers and only one rebound in that game. The Waves can't afford for Bell to have those kinds of numbers in the long run.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We definitely needed this win. It was a confidence-booster. At halftime, Coach challenged us to put our best effort out there." -- F Mychel Thompson, after the Jan. 9 victory over Loyola Marymount.
Pepperdine - Team Notes
GETTING INSIDE
Can one halftime speech turn a season around?
Pepperdine seemed headed for doom in its Jan. 9 home game against Loyola Marymount. The Waves had lost nine of their previous 10 games and had not looked good in the process.
And when they fell behind by 17 points in the first half of their conference opener against Loyola Marymount, the season seemed to be collapsing. Pepperdine still trailed by 13 at halftime, which is when coach Tom Asbury lit into his team for its lackluster play. "We played our worst half of basketball this season," Waves guard Lorne Jackson said. "Coach chewed us out and told us to play hard."
The Waves responded.Loyola Marymount still held a 13-point lead with 18:44 left in the game, at which point Pepperdine took over, outscoring the Lions 20-1 over the next six minutes. There were still some shaky moments as the Waves got behind again before controlling the final two minutes of the game to pull out a 79-75 win over a Loyola Marymount team that had won six consecutive games.
So instead of having their confidence take another hit, the Waves are suddenly feeling good about themselves. The Waves are starting to play like the team they were expected to be, and with home games up next against the two of the worst teams in the conference, San Francisco and Santa Clara, Pepperdine is in position to be 3-0 in the WCC. Pepperdine has enough talent to challenge for an upper-division finish in the WCC. Most of the key players are back from last season's team, which finished 5-9 in the conference and showed improvement late in the season.
Keion Bell has been a standout player all season, and Mychel Thompson has the ability to be a good player in the WCC as well. Thompson responded with a big game against Loyola Marymount, and the Waves seem to be more talented than the results have shown so far. The boost provided by the victory over Loyola Marymount might turn things around for the Waves.
NOTES, QUOTES--Pepperdine has won 23 of its last 25 games against Loyola Marymount and has won 12 straight at home against the Lions.
--The Waves were 0-for-5 from the foul line over the first 38 minutes of their Jan. 9 game against Loyola Marymount, but they made 9-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes to help win the game.
--Pepperdine was 9-for-12 on three-pointers in the second half against Loyola Marymount and 14-for-23 for the game.
ON THE SPOT: Keion Bell is clearly the team's best player and one of the best players in the WCC, but his production has slipped a bit lately. In the last four games, Bell was 16-for-52 from the field (30.8 percent) and 3-for-13 on three-pointers. Although Pepperdine beat Loyola Marymount, Bell had eight turnovers and only one rebound in that game. The Waves can't afford for Bell to have those kinds of numbers in the long run.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We definitely needed this win. It was a confidence-booster. At halftime, Coach challenged us to put our best effort out there." -- F Mychel Thompson, after the Jan. 9 victory over Loyola Marymount.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
SEASON RECAP: After Pepperdine lost nine of 10 games to drop to 4-12 heading into conference play, many were expecting the Waves to finish last. The home victory over Loyola Marymount does not necessarily change their impression, but it gets Pepperdine off to a favorable start with two more home games against so-so teams coming up. Keion Bell has established himself as one of the WCC's most productive players, and, as of Jan. 11, he was averaging 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. His numbers have decreased a bit lately, but that might be better for the team as a whole.
PLAYER ROTATION: Usual Starters -- G Keion Bell, F Mychel Thompson, F Jonathan DuPre, F Taylor Darby, G Lorne Jackson. Key Subs -- F Dane Suttle Jr., G Joshua Lowery, F Gus Clardy.
GAME REVIEW:
Georgia 64, Pepperdine 47
Miami 86, Pepperdine 63
Pepperdine 79, Loyola Marymount 75
GAME PREVIEW:
vs. Santa Clara, Thursday, Jan. 14
vs. San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 16
at Gonzaga, Thursday, Jan. 21
at Portland, Saturday, Jan. 23
vs. St. Mary's, Thursday, Jan. 28
IN FOCUS: The Jan. 14 home game against Santa Clara is one the Waves should win to get off to an encouraging 2-0 start in conference play. The Waves split their two games against Santa Clara last season, but Pepperdine has more returning players than does Santa Clara. Taylor Darby needs to hold his own against Marc Trasolini of Santa Clara, and Mychel Thompson needs to continue the shooting success he had against Loyola Marymount.
ROSTER REPORT:
--F Mychel Thompson had a career-high six three-pointers in seven attempts against Loyola Marymount and seems to have shaken his early season shooting slump. He was 0-for-20 on three-pointers in the season's first six games, but has made 15-of-25 three-point shots over the last five games.
--Freshman Tanner Kerry has been getting significant playing time this season, but fouls have been a problem. He fouled out for the third time this season in the Jan. 9 game against Loyola Marymount.
--G Lorne Jackson made four three-pointers against Loyola Marymount, tying a career high.
SEASON RECAP: After Pepperdine lost nine of 10 games to drop to 4-12 heading into conference play, many were expecting the Waves to finish last. The home victory over Loyola Marymount does not necessarily change their impression, but it gets Pepperdine off to a favorable start with two more home games against so-so teams coming up. Keion Bell has established himself as one of the WCC's most productive players, and, as of Jan. 11, he was averaging 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. His numbers have decreased a bit lately, but that might be better for the team as a whole.
PLAYER ROTATION: Usual Starters -- G Keion Bell, F Mychel Thompson, F Jonathan DuPre, F Taylor Darby, G Lorne Jackson. Key Subs -- F Dane Suttle Jr., G Joshua Lowery, F Gus Clardy.
GAME REVIEW:
Georgia 64, Pepperdine 47
Miami 86, Pepperdine 63
Pepperdine 79, Loyola Marymount 75
GAME PREVIEW:
vs. Santa Clara, Thursday, Jan. 14
vs. San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 16
at Gonzaga, Thursday, Jan. 21
at Portland, Saturday, Jan. 23
vs. St. Mary's, Thursday, Jan. 28
IN FOCUS: The Jan. 14 home game against Santa Clara is one the Waves should win to get off to an encouraging 2-0 start in conference play. The Waves split their two games against Santa Clara last season, but Pepperdine has more returning players than does Santa Clara. Taylor Darby needs to hold his own against Marc Trasolini of Santa Clara, and Mychel Thompson needs to continue the shooting success he had against Loyola Marymount.ROSTER REPORT:
--F Mychel Thompson had a career-high six three-pointers in seven attempts against Loyola Marymount and seems to have shaken his early season shooting slump. He was 0-for-20 on three-pointers in the season's first six games, but has made 15-of-25 three-point shots over the last five games.--Freshman Tanner Kerry has been getting significant playing time this season, but fouls have been a problem. He fouled out for the third time this season in the Jan. 9 game against Loyola Marymount.
--G Lorne Jackson made four three-pointers against Loyola Marymount, tying a career high.
Men's Hoops Looks to Continue Good WCC Start
Click on the above video player for an interview with the Waves' Lorne Jackson.
Pepperdine Men's Basketball Notes (PDF)
Jan. 12, 2010
THE FACTS - The Pepperdine men's basketball team will try to extend its good start to the West Coast Conference season with home games against Santa Clara and San Francisco this week. Thursday's game against the Broncos will be shown on ESPNU. The Waves are playing their first three league games at home, and five of the first seven. Mychel Thompson was named the WCC co-Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Waves to a comeback victory over rival Loyola Marymount.
GAME #18 - Thursday (Jan. 14) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine (5-12, 1-0) vs. Santa Clara (8-11, 0-2) at 8 p.m.
GAME #19 - Saturday (Jan. 16) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine vs. San Francisco (6-11, 1-1) at 7 p.m.
TELEVISION - Thursday's ESPNU telecast will be called by Todd Harris and Miles Simon.
ON THE WEB - Subscribers to "Wave Casts" can catch all Pepperdine men's basketball games on the internet at www.pepperdinesports.com. Veteran play-by-play man Al Epstein, now in his 25th season with the Waves, is behind the microphone. Most home games will have live audio and video, while road games will be audio only. Go to the Pepperdine Athletics website and look for the Wave Casts link. An annual pass costs $69.95 and monthly subscriptions are also available. Live statistics will be available for all home matches free of charge, and links are provided to the home team's website when the Waves are on the road.
PROMOTIONS - For the Santa Clara game, Pepperdine fans are encouraged to wear orange to create an "Orange Out" on television. The first 500 Pepperdine students will receive a free replica Pepperdine jersey. One lucky Pepperdine student will have the opportunity to take part in a halftime shootout for $10,000. Postgame, a Fifth Quarter event will include a screening of the movie "Tommy Boy" in Firestone Fieldhouse ... If the Waves are victorious and score 75 points or more in an upcoming home game, certificates will be given out afterward for a free piece of grilled chicken from the KFC in Malibu.
TICKETS - Men's basketball single-game tickets cost $15 (lower reserved), $12 (upper reserved), $10 (adult general admission) or $5 (child general admission). Call (866) WAVE-TIX to purchase tickets.
SANTA CLARA - Pepperdine is 53-65 all-time against Santa Clara. The Waves are 28-8 in Malibu against the Broncos. Pepperdine has won four straight meetings in Firestone Fieldhouse and 12 of the last 13 (the Broncos' lone road win in that span came in 2005). The schools have split the season series each of the last seven years.
SAN FRANCISCO - Pepperdine is 47-65 all-time against San Francisco. The Waves won two of three meetings last year, including a first-round matchup at the WCC Tournament. The Dons have won four straight in Firestone Fieldhouse, although the Waves are 18-15 against USF in Malibu.
LAST GAME - The 150th meeting ever between Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount was a classic, as the Waves used a 23-4 run to start the second half to rally for a 79-75 victory in the WCC opener for both schools on Saturday (Jan. 9). Pepperdine fell behind 16-3 after 6 1/2 minutes, trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half and was down 38-25 at halftime. Mychel Thompson (22 points) and Lorne Jackson (17 points) were key figures in the second-half comeback. Jonathan Dupre' hit a three-pointer with two minutes left to put Pepperdine ahead to stay at 67-65. In the first 38 minutes, the Waves missed all five of their free throw attempts, but they made nine of 12 at the end of the game to clinch the win.
MORE LMU POSTGAME NOTES - The Waves continued their recent dominance over the Lions, as they've won 12 straight at home in the series and 23 of the last 25 overall ... The Waves now lead the all-time series 90-60 ... Mychel Thompson sank a career-high six three-pointers on seven attempts and added a game-high-tying eight rebounds ... Lorne Jackson had a career-high six assists and tied his career high with four three-pointers ... The Waves sank a season-high 14 three-pointers (going nine for 12 in the second half) and made 60.9% of their 23 attempts ... Half of Pepperdine's 28 field goals made were three-pointers.
PCH CHALLENGE - The newly created PCH Challenge is a season-long competition between local rivals Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Thanks to Saturday's doubleheader sweep with the men and women's teams, the Waves now lead 6.0 to 3.5.
CONFERENCE OPENERS - Pepperdine has won its conference opener for the second straight year (both times it came against LMU). The Waves are attempting to start 2-0 for the first time since 2005.
ROSTER - There are no seniors on the 2009-10 squad, and 12 of the 16 players are underclassmen. The roster features four juniors, seven sophomores and five true freshmen. Pepperdine does return 11 letterwinners from last season (believed to be among the most in school history). Twelve players are on scholarship and four are walk-ons.
SOPHOMORE SCORERS - Last season, Pepperdine's eight-man freshman class scored more than half of the Waves' points (57.4%). So far, the now-sophomore class has contributed 66.0% of Pepperdine's scoring. The sophomores have been the top-scoring class in every game this season.
KEION BELL - Sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) has been one of the most exciting and prolific players on the West Coast in 2009-10. He is currently averaging 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He currently ranks #2 in the WCC and #27 in the nation in scoring (he ranked as high as ninth nationally last month). Until a few weeks ago, he was one of just two players in the country averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bell has scored more than 20 points in nine games this season, including a career-high 34 against Monmouth. He's been in double-figures in every game but two. At the pace he's on, he could become Pepperdine's 35th 1,000-point scorer by the end of his sophomore season (he's got 745). In the WCC rankings, he's also fourth in steals (1.6), sixth in assists, ninth in minutes (32.0) and 18th in rebounding.
MYCHEL THOMPSON - Junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) was selected as team captain for 2009-10 after a landslide vote by his teammates. He is Pepperdine's only player that has been with the team for two full seasons. Thompson is averaging 11.9 points this season (second-best on the team) and 9.5 points for his career. He has broken into Pepperdine's career top 10 in three-pointers made (he's #10 with 115, Alex Acker is #9 at 120). Since a rough start to his season from beyond the arc, Thompson has made 24 of 49 (49%). He's been in double-figures in eight of the last 10 games (averaging 15.1 ppg over that span), including a career-high-tying 25 vs. Utah.
DANE SUTTLE JR. - Sophomore guard/forward Dane Suttle Jr., third-best on the team at 10.3 points per game, is one of the conference's best three-point shooters so far this season. He is averaging 2.0 per game (tied for sixth in the WCC) and making 46.4% of them (32-for-69, sixth in the WCC).
2009-10 NOTABLES - The Waves were down 12 to Cal State San Bernardino with 8 1/2 minutes to play but came back to win by three ... The Waves were the team champion at the World Vision Challenge in Wyoming ... Pepperdine's win over Utah came against a 2009 NCAA Tournament team.
2009-10 HONORS - Keion Bell was named to the preseason All-WCC first team ... Bell (26.7 ppg) was named MVP of the World Vision Challenge at Wyoming and Dane Suttle Jr. (15.3 ppg) also made the all-tournament team ... Mychel Thompson was named WCC co-Player of the Week on Jan. 11 after scoring a game-high 22 points and making six of seven three-pointers in a win vs. LMU.
RETURNERS - Four of the five starters from last year's team return (Keion Bell, Taylor Darby, Corbin Moore and Mychel Thompson). Pepperdine's returning players account for 82.5% percent of last year's scoring (1629/1974), 88.3% of the rebounds (919/1041), 65.4% of the assists (223/341), 95.0% of the blocked shots (96/101) and 77.2% of the steals (166/215).
WCC PRESEASON POLL - According to the WCC's coaches, the Waves are predicted to finish seventh in the conference. Their poll went in the following order: Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco and Santa Clara (tied), San Diego, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Several national publications and websites have differing opinions on the Waves, including fourth (The Sporting News), fifth (The Sports Network), sixth (Athlon and Lindy's) and seventh (Rivals.com, CBSSports.com and CollegeHoops.net).
TELEVISION - The Waves are slated to appear on television several times once again in 2009-10. Six games will be shown locally - Nov. 23 at UCLA on Fox Sports West, Jan. 14 vs. Santa Clara on ESPNU, Jan. 21 at Gonzaga on Prime Ticket (delayed), Jan. 30 vs. San Diego on Prime Ticket, Feb. 18 vs. Portland on Prime Ticket and Feb. 20 vs. Gonzaga on Fox Sports West.
YOUTUBE SENSATION - Keion Bell, a preseason All-WCC first team selection, got Pepperdine a ton of publicity in mid-October. At Blue & Orange Madness, Pepperdine's event to kick off the start of practice, the sophomore guard finished up the dunk contest by leaping over five teammates and slamming it home. A Pepperdine fan happened to record the dunk on his iPhone and uploaded it onto YouTube. It quickly spread around the internet and at last check had nearly 1.1 million hits. ESPN's SportsCenter picked up the video and made the dunk the #2 Play of the Day.
TOM ASBURY - Now in his second stint in charge of the Waves is coaching great Tom Asbury. He returned to Malibu prior to the 2008-09 campaign to become the Waves' head coach again after 14 seasons away. Asbury was previously at Pepperdine for nine years as an assistant coach (1980-88) and then the next six as the head coach (1989-94). He went on to serve as head coach at Kansas State from 1995-2000 and was an assistant coach at Alabama from 2004-07. Asbury went 125-59 (.679) in his first head coaching job at Pepperdine and took the Waves to the postseason five times in six years with three NCAA Tournament appearances (1991, '92, '94) and two in the NIT (1989, '93). epperdine won three regular-season WCC titles and the school's only three WCC Tournament championships came under Asbury. Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, his seven-year record at Pepperdine was 134-82 (.620) and his 13-year record as a head coach was 219-170 (.563).
ASSISTANTS - Upon his return, Tom Asbury wanted to find assistants with a passion for Pepperdine and an understanding of its mission, so he turned to three former student-athletes. It's believed that Duke and Pepperdine have the only two college basketball staffs where the assistant coaches are all alums. Associate head coach Marty Wilson (1985-89) and assistant coaches Damin Lopez (1990-94) and Will Kimble (2001-03) played in three different eras, all successful. In the 13 seasons that made up their playing careers, Pepperdine went a combined 261-135 (.659), had 12 winning seasons, won six WCC regular-season titles and three WCC tournament titles, and made six NCAA Tournaments and four NITs.
ONE RECRUIT - There are no seniors on the roster but Pepperdine had one scholarship to offer for 2010-11. During the early signing period, they inked Hector Harold, a 6-foot-6 small forward from the Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) School. He was given a rating of 88 out of 100 by ESPN.com's recruiting site and is considered one of the top seniors in New England. He is originally from Pasadena, Calif.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE - Tom Asbury believes in preparing his team for league play with a difficult non-conference slate of games, and so that's what the Waves did for the first 16 games of the season. The Waves played six games against non-conference teams that took part in the postseason last year: Portland State, UCLA and Utah made the NCAA Tournament, Miami (Fla.) was in the NIT, Wyoming was in the College Basketball Invitational and Pacific was in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Nine of the 16 non-conference games were at home.
LAST SEASON - Tom Asbury's return to Pepperdine brought much-needed stability to the program in his first season back. With only five players returning, Asbury and his new staff brought in 10 newcomers well after the regular letter-of-intent signing period. The young Waves posted a 9-23 overall record but got much better as the year went on, placing sixth in the WCC with a 5-9 record and winning a first-round game at the WCC Tournament. Keion Bell was named to the WCC All-Freshman team after averaging a team-best 12.9 ppg.
PEPPERDINE HISTORY - This is the 72nd season of Pepperdine basketball, and the Waves opened 2009-10 with an all-time record of 1,111-910 (.550). Pepperdine has been to the NCAA Tournament 13 times (last in 2002), and has won 12 West Coast Conference regular-season titles (last in 2002) and three WCC Tournament crowns (last in 1994).
BEST IN THE WEST - Pepperdine has long been one of the top Division I programs on the West Coast. Over the 31-season period from the 1978-79 season through the 2008-09 campaign, of the 32 schools that currently play Division I basketball in California, Oregon or Washington, the Waves began the 2009-10 season ranking third overall in postseason appearances (16) and fifth in both wins (525) and winning percentage (.565) over the past 31 years.
WAVES IN THE PROS - This is the 34th consecutive season where at least one Pepperdine alum has been on an NBA roster. Currently in the NBA is Yakhouba Diawara, now in his fourth season overall and his second with the Miami Heat. A total of 16 former Pepperdine players have gone on to play in the NBA, most notably Dennis Johnson (the 1979 NBA Finals MVP) and Doug Christie (a 15-year NBA veteran who was a mainstay on the All-Defensive Team). Some recent standouts have been playing in foreign countries, including Alex Acker (Italy), Tezale Archie (Netherlands), Brandon Armstrong (Venezuela), Gerald Brown (Poland), Jelani Gardner (Greece), Kelvin Gibbs (Germany), Chase Griffin (Germany), Dana Jones (Switzerland) and Glen McGowan (Dominican Republic). Robert "Hollywood" Turner, formerly a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, is now playing in Finland.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE - Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won a total of nine NCAA championships in five different men's sports - one of just 14 schools to have accomplished this feat. Of the 14, Pepperdine is the only non-BCS school and has by far the smallest enrollment. The majority of Pepperdine's teams are ranked nationally year after year and compete for conference and national titles.
Keion Bell on WCC Live Radio Show Tonight
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 01/13/2010
MALIBU, Calif. -- Pepperdine sophomore guard Keion Bell will be one of the featured guests on the WCC Live internet radio show that airs tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 13).
The show is on from 8-9 p.m. and can be accessed at www.blogtalkradio.com/wccsports. Bell will on be from approximately 8:15-8:23 p.m. and fans will have the opportunity to ask him questions.
Fans can participate by calling the listener line at 646-378-1311 or by e-mailing questions to wcclive@ymail.com, which can also be done ahead of time.
Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS, who leads Pepperdine with a 19.6 scoring average, helped Pepperdine to a 79-75 victory over Loyola Marymount to start WCC play last weekend. The Waves next host Santa Clara on Thursday (Jan. 14) at 8 p.m. in a game that will be shown on ESPNU.
Basketball travels to LA to face Pepperdine, LMU
Santa Clara travels to Los Angeles this weekend for a Thursday night game on ESPNU vs. Pepperdine at 8 pm and then an 8 pm game at Loyola Marymount on Saturday on FOX-West.
Jan. 13, 2010
Game Notes
Santa Clara travels to Los Angeles this weekend for a Thursday night game on ESPNU vs. Pepperdine at 8 pm and then an 8 pm game at Loyola Marymount on Saturday on FOX-West. Santa Clara boasts three players from the Los Angeles area: Chris Cunningham (Diamond Bar), Troy Payne (Los Angeles) and Robert Smith (Riverside).
Click on the above video player for an interview with the Waves' Lorne Jackson.
Pepperdine Men's Basketball Notes (PDF)
Jan. 12, 2010
THE FACTS - The Pepperdine men's basketball team will try to extend its good start to the West Coast Conference season with home games against Santa Clara and San Francisco this week. Thursday's game against the Broncos will be shown on ESPNU. The Waves are playing their first three league games at home, and five of the first seven. Mychel Thompson was named the WCC co-Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Waves to a comeback victory over rival Loyola Marymount.GAME #18 - Thursday (Jan. 14) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine (5-12, 1-0) vs. Santa Clara (8-11, 0-2) at 8 p.m.
GAME #19 - Saturday (Jan. 16) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine vs. San Francisco (6-11, 1-1) at 7 p.m.
TELEVISION - Thursday's ESPNU telecast will be called by Todd Harris and Miles Simon.ON THE WEB - Subscribers to "Wave Casts" can catch all Pepperdine men's basketball games on the internet at www.pepperdinesports.com. Veteran play-by-play man Al Epstein, now in his 25th season with the Waves, is behind the microphone. Most home games will have live audio and video, while road games will be audio only. Go to the Pepperdine Athletics website and look for the Wave Casts link. An annual pass costs $69.95 and monthly subscriptions are also available. Live statistics will be available for all home matches free of charge, and links are provided to the home team's website when the Waves are on the road.
PROMOTIONS - For the Santa Clara game, Pepperdine fans are encouraged to wear orange to create an "Orange Out" on television. The first 500 Pepperdine students will receive a free replica Pepperdine jersey. One lucky Pepperdine student will have the opportunity to take part in a halftime shootout for $10,000. Postgame, a Fifth Quarter event will include a screening of the movie "Tommy Boy" in Firestone Fieldhouse ... If the Waves are victorious and score 75 points or more in an upcoming home game, certificates will be given out afterward for a free piece of grilled chicken from the KFC in Malibu.TICKETS - Men's basketball single-game tickets cost $15 (lower reserved), $12 (upper reserved), $10 (adult general admission) or $5 (child general admission). Call (866) WAVE-TIX to purchase tickets.
SANTA CLARA - Pepperdine is 53-65 all-time against Santa Clara. The Waves are 28-8 in Malibu against the Broncos. Pepperdine has won four straight meetings in Firestone Fieldhouse and 12 of the last 13 (the Broncos' lone road win in that span came in 2005). The schools have split the season series each of the last seven years.
SAN FRANCISCO - Pepperdine is 47-65 all-time against San Francisco. The Waves won two of three meetings last year, including a first-round matchup at the WCC Tournament. The Dons have won four straight in Firestone Fieldhouse, although the Waves are 18-15 against USF in Malibu.
LAST GAME - The 150th meeting ever between Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount was a classic, as the Waves used a 23-4 run to start the second half to rally for a 79-75 victory in the WCC opener for both schools on Saturday (Jan. 9). Pepperdine fell behind 16-3 after 6 1/2 minutes, trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half and was down 38-25 at halftime. Mychel Thompson (22 points) and Lorne Jackson (17 points) were key figures in the second-half comeback. Jonathan Dupre' hit a three-pointer with two minutes left to put Pepperdine ahead to stay at 67-65. In the first 38 minutes, the Waves missed all five of their free throw attempts, but they made nine of 12 at the end of the game to clinch the win.
MORE LMU POSTGAME NOTES - The Waves continued their recent dominance over the Lions, as they've won 12 straight at home in the series and 23 of the last 25 overall ... The Waves now lead the all-time series 90-60 ... Mychel Thompson sank a career-high six three-pointers on seven attempts and added a game-high-tying eight rebounds ... Lorne Jackson had a career-high six assists and tied his career high with four three-pointers ... The Waves sank a season-high 14 three-pointers (going nine for 12 in the second half) and made 60.9% of their 23 attempts ... Half of Pepperdine's 28 field goals made were three-pointers.PCH CHALLENGE - The newly created PCH Challenge is a season-long competition between local rivals Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Thanks to Saturday's doubleheader sweep with the men and women's teams, the Waves now lead 6.0 to 3.5.
CONFERENCE OPENERS - Pepperdine has won its conference opener for the second straight year (both times it came against LMU). The Waves are attempting to start 2-0 for the first time since 2005.ROSTER - There are no seniors on the 2009-10 squad, and 12 of the 16 players are underclassmen. The roster features four juniors, seven sophomores and five true freshmen. Pepperdine does return 11 letterwinners from last season (believed to be among the most in school history). Twelve players are on scholarship and four are walk-ons.
SOPHOMORE SCORERS - Last season, Pepperdine's eight-man freshman class scored more than half of the Waves' points (57.4%). So far, the now-sophomore class has contributed 66.0% of Pepperdine's scoring. The sophomores have been the top-scoring class in every game this season.KEION BELL - Sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) has been one of the most exciting and prolific players on the West Coast in 2009-10. He is currently averaging 19.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He currently ranks #2 in the WCC and #27 in the nation in scoring (he ranked as high as ninth nationally last month). Until a few weeks ago, he was one of just two players in the country averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bell has scored more than 20 points in nine games this season, including a career-high 34 against Monmouth. He's been in double-figures in every game but two. At the pace he's on, he could become Pepperdine's 35th 1,000-point scorer by the end of his sophomore season (he's got 745). In the WCC rankings, he's also fourth in steals (1.6), sixth in assists, ninth in minutes (32.0) and 18th in rebounding.
MYCHEL THOMPSON - Junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) was selected as team captain for 2009-10 after a landslide vote by his teammates. He is Pepperdine's only player that has been with the team for two full seasons. Thompson is averaging 11.9 points this season (second-best on the team) and 9.5 points for his career. He has broken into Pepperdine's career top 10 in three-pointers made (he's #10 with 115, Alex Acker is #9 at 120). Since a rough start to his season from beyond the arc, Thompson has made 24 of 49 (49%). He's been in double-figures in eight of the last 10 games (averaging 15.1 ppg over that span), including a career-high-tying 25 vs. Utah.DANE SUTTLE JR. - Sophomore guard/forward Dane Suttle Jr., third-best on the team at 10.3 points per game, is one of the conference's best three-point shooters so far this season. He is averaging 2.0 per game (tied for sixth in the WCC) and making 46.4% of them (32-for-69, sixth in the WCC).
2009-10 NOTABLES - The Waves were down 12 to Cal State San Bernardino with 8 1/2 minutes to play but came back to win by three ... The Waves were the team champion at the World Vision Challenge in Wyoming ... Pepperdine's win over Utah came against a 2009 NCAA Tournament team.
2009-10 HONORS - Keion Bell was named to the preseason All-WCC first team ... Bell (26.7 ppg) was named MVP of the World Vision Challenge at Wyoming and Dane Suttle Jr. (15.3 ppg) also made the all-tournament team ... Mychel Thompson was named WCC co-Player of the Week on Jan. 11 after scoring a game-high 22 points and making six of seven three-pointers in a win vs. LMU.
RETURNERS - Four of the five starters from last year's team return (Keion Bell, Taylor Darby, Corbin Moore and Mychel Thompson). Pepperdine's returning players account for 82.5% percent of last year's scoring (1629/1974), 88.3% of the rebounds (919/1041), 65.4% of the assists (223/341), 95.0% of the blocked shots (96/101) and 77.2% of the steals (166/215).
WCC PRESEASON POLL - According to the WCC's coaches, the Waves are predicted to finish seventh in the conference. Their poll went in the following order: Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco and Santa Clara (tied), San Diego, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Several national publications and websites have differing opinions on the Waves, including fourth (The Sporting News), fifth (The Sports Network), sixth (Athlon and Lindy's) and seventh (Rivals.com, CBSSports.com and CollegeHoops.net).TELEVISION - The Waves are slated to appear on television several times once again in 2009-10. Six games will be shown locally - Nov. 23 at UCLA on Fox Sports West, Jan. 14 vs. Santa Clara on ESPNU, Jan. 21 at Gonzaga on Prime Ticket (delayed), Jan. 30 vs. San Diego on Prime Ticket, Feb. 18 vs. Portland on Prime Ticket and Feb. 20 vs. Gonzaga on Fox Sports West.
YOUTUBE SENSATION - Keion Bell, a preseason All-WCC first team selection, got Pepperdine a ton of publicity in mid-October. At Blue & Orange Madness, Pepperdine's event to kick off the start of practice, the sophomore guard finished up the dunk contest by leaping over five teammates and slamming it home. A Pepperdine fan happened to record the dunk on his iPhone and uploaded it onto YouTube. It quickly spread around the internet and at last check had nearly 1.1 million hits. ESPN's SportsCenter picked up the video and made the dunk the #2 Play of the Day.
TOM ASBURY - Now in his second stint in charge of the Waves is coaching great Tom Asbury. He returned to Malibu prior to the 2008-09 campaign to become the Waves' head coach again after 14 seasons away. Asbury was previously at Pepperdine for nine years as an assistant coach (1980-88) and then the next six as the head coach (1989-94). He went on to serve as head coach at Kansas State from 1995-2000 and was an assistant coach at Alabama from 2004-07. Asbury went 125-59 (.679) in his first head coaching job at Pepperdine and took the Waves to the postseason five times in six years with three NCAA Tournament appearances (1991, '92, '94) and two in the NIT (1989, '93). epperdine won three regular-season WCC titles and the school's only three WCC Tournament championships came under Asbury. Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, his seven-year record at Pepperdine was 134-82 (.620) and his 13-year record as a head coach was 219-170 (.563).
ASSISTANTS - Upon his return, Tom Asbury wanted to find assistants with a passion for Pepperdine and an understanding of its mission, so he turned to three former student-athletes. It's believed that Duke and Pepperdine have the only two college basketball staffs where the assistant coaches are all alums. Associate head coach Marty Wilson (1985-89) and assistant coaches Damin Lopez (1990-94) and Will Kimble (2001-03) played in three different eras, all successful. In the 13 seasons that made up their playing careers, Pepperdine went a combined 261-135 (.659), had 12 winning seasons, won six WCC regular-season titles and three WCC tournament titles, and made six NCAA Tournaments and four NITs.ONE RECRUIT - There are no seniors on the roster but Pepperdine had one scholarship to offer for 2010-11. During the early signing period, they inked Hector Harold, a 6-foot-6 small forward from the Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) School. He was given a rating of 88 out of 100 by ESPN.com's recruiting site and is considered one of the top seniors in New England. He is originally from Pasadena, Calif.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE - Tom Asbury believes in preparing his team for league play with a difficult non-conference slate of games, and so that's what the Waves did for the first 16 games of the season. The Waves played six games against non-conference teams that took part in the postseason last year: Portland State, UCLA and Utah made the NCAA Tournament, Miami (Fla.) was in the NIT, Wyoming was in the College Basketball Invitational and Pacific was in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Nine of the 16 non-conference games were at home.
LAST SEASON - Tom Asbury's return to Pepperdine brought much-needed stability to the program in his first season back. With only five players returning, Asbury and his new staff brought in 10 newcomers well after the regular letter-of-intent signing period. The young Waves posted a 9-23 overall record but got much better as the year went on, placing sixth in the WCC with a 5-9 record and winning a first-round game at the WCC Tournament. Keion Bell was named to the WCC All-Freshman team after averaging a team-best 12.9 ppg.
PEPPERDINE HISTORY - This is the 72nd season of Pepperdine basketball, and the Waves opened 2009-10 with an all-time record of 1,111-910 (.550). Pepperdine has been to the NCAA Tournament 13 times (last in 2002), and has won 12 West Coast Conference regular-season titles (last in 2002) and three WCC Tournament crowns (last in 1994).
BEST IN THE WEST - Pepperdine has long been one of the top Division I programs on the West Coast. Over the 31-season period from the 1978-79 season through the 2008-09 campaign, of the 32 schools that currently play Division I basketball in California, Oregon or Washington, the Waves began the 2009-10 season ranking third overall in postseason appearances (16) and fifth in both wins (525) and winning percentage (.565) over the past 31 years.
WAVES IN THE PROS - This is the 34th consecutive season where at least one Pepperdine alum has been on an NBA roster. Currently in the NBA is Yakhouba Diawara, now in his fourth season overall and his second with the Miami Heat. A total of 16 former Pepperdine players have gone on to play in the NBA, most notably Dennis Johnson (the 1979 NBA Finals MVP) and Doug Christie (a 15-year NBA veteran who was a mainstay on the All-Defensive Team). Some recent standouts have been playing in foreign countries, including Alex Acker (Italy), Tezale Archie (Netherlands), Brandon Armstrong (Venezuela), Gerald Brown (Poland), Jelani Gardner (Greece), Kelvin Gibbs (Germany), Chase Griffin (Germany), Dana Jones (Switzerland) and Glen McGowan (Dominican Republic). Robert "Hollywood" Turner, formerly a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, is now playing in Finland.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE - Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won a total of nine NCAA championships in five different men's sports - one of just 14 schools to have accomplished this feat. Of the 14, Pepperdine is the only non-BCS school and has by far the smallest enrollment. The majority of Pepperdine's teams are ranked nationally year after year and compete for conference and national titles.
Keion Bell on WCC Live Radio Show Tonight
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 01/13/2010
MALIBU, Calif. -- Pepperdine sophomore guard Keion Bell will be one of the featured guests on the WCC Live internet radio show that airs tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 13).
The show is on from 8-9 p.m. and can be accessed at www.blogtalkradio.com/wccsports. Bell will on be from approximately 8:15-8:23 p.m. and fans will have the opportunity to ask him questions.
Fans can participate by calling the listener line at 646-378-1311 or by e-mailing questions to wcclive@ymail.com, which can also be done ahead of time.
Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS, who leads Pepperdine with a 19.6 scoring average, helped Pepperdine to a 79-75 victory over Loyola Marymount to start WCC play last weekend. The Waves next host Santa Clara on Thursday (Jan. 14) at 8 p.m. in a game that will be shown on ESPNU.
Basketball travels to LA to face Pepperdine, LMU
Santa Clara travels to Los Angeles this weekend for a Thursday night game on ESPNU vs. Pepperdine at 8 pm and then an 8 pm game at Loyola Marymount on Saturday on FOX-West.
Jan. 13, 2010
Game Notes
Santa Clara travels to Los Angeles this weekend for a Thursday night game on ESPNU vs. Pepperdine at 8 pm and then an 8 pm game at Loyola Marymount on Saturday on FOX-West. Santa Clara boasts three players from the Los Angeles area: Chris Cunningham (Diamond Bar), Troy Payne (Los Angeles) and Robert Smith (Riverside).
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Former Pasadena standout Bell making Waves at Pepperdine
By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
All eyes are on Keion Bell.
On the basketball court, on the bench and even in the stands, all eyes have been focused on the kind of season the Pepperdine guard is having. Bell said he has noticed those eyes as soon as games begin.
"You start the game going the opposite way of your bench and as soon as the game starts, everyone is yelling to guard me closely," he said.
The Pasadena High School graduate is the Waves' leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points. That's the 26th-best scoring average in the nation. He's also ranked in four other national categories: field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, assists and steals.
The only thing that has gone wrong is Pepperdine's record, which is 5-12. The Waves opened West Coast Conference play on Saturday with a 79-75 victory over visiting Loyola Marymount. They host Santa Clara on Thursday.
But Bell said that early attention going his way works to his advantage.
"It gives me a chance to get the ball to our other players," he said. "Then they have to begin to respect our guys and play us tighter. That's when it opens up my game. I just have to be patient."
He scored a season-high 34 points in an 82-73 victory over Monmouth, but he was held to a season-low six points in a 64-47 loss at Georgia recently. He has been the Waves' leading scorer in 12 games, topping 20 points nine times, including 22 against both UCLA and Miami. He is the only player to have started all
17 games and in addition to being the leader in those five nationally-ranked categories, he leads the team in steals and is second in rebounds with a 4.9 average.
He is also the team leader in a more dubious statistic: turnovers. He has more turnovers (70) than assists (64). "That's his only bugaboo," Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury said. "He's working on managing them better. "It's all about the eyes, Bell said.
"I'll see three sets of eyes on me," he said. "Then I know someone is open and I want to get them the ball for a better shot." The problem is that even Bell admits he does not necessarily know what he is going to do. "Sometimes, even when I get in the air, I don't know what I'm going to do," he said. "If I see someone with a better shot, I'll pass it. " Asbury calls some of those passes unbelievable. "He makes passes players don't expect," he said.
"Coach told everyone the other day to not go for rebounds until they see the ball in the air," Bell said. "We're a young team. They're still learning what I can do." Bell's assist-to-turnover ratio has been shrinking, and as much as Asbury said he tries to have Bell work on limiting the turnovers, he doesn't want to take that flash out of his game.
"Keion's going to make plays," Asbury said. "He is so athletic. He lives on the edge on the court. Sometimes, he's going to make 10 turnovers a game, sometimes none."That has already happened this season. He had 11 turnovers in a loss to Wyoming, but has had no turnovers in a couple of other games, including the victory over Monmouth, when he also had four assists and a team-high nine rebounds.
The 6-foot-3 guard was named to the WCC all-freshman team last season and Asbury said he should strongly be considered for first-team all-conference honors this season. But a lot has changed from last year. In a daily summer workout program, he gained 25 pounds, up to 200 pounds, and he acquired more speed because of weight room work, he said. He also spent most of the summer working with two-time NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury at Taft High School on ball handling and free-throw shooting. He also spent a week working on the same drills with Andre Iguodale of the 76ers.
Bell has taken nearly 125 free throws, a third of the Waves' attempts. The weight gain, which consisted mostly of peanut butter sandwiches and milk six to eight times a day, and the work with Marbury, has improved his game and apparently has drawn the eyes of NBA teams.
"If he keeps progressing ..." Asbury said. "He's a player who could make it. He'll have to be a point guard, which means he has to cut down on his turnovers.
"We're glad to have him. If he had been refined out of high school, he could have gone anywhere he wanted ... North Carolina, Kentucky."Last year, Bell said his current attack-the-basket style would have had him crumpling to the ground against all those big men.
"That style of play, I know I will go to the free-throw line a lot," he said. "Stephon taught me a technique that works really well." Bell said he has heard those NBA rumors, too, but admits he is not taking much stock; implying he may not even consider the NBA until after his junior year.
"I can't say," Bell said. "I hope to play at the next level."
On the basketball court, on the bench and even in the stands, all eyes have been focused on the kind of season the Pepperdine guard is having. Bell said he has noticed those eyes as soon as games begin.
"You start the game going the opposite way of your bench and as soon as the game starts, everyone is yelling to guard me closely," he said.
The Pasadena High School graduate is the Waves' leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points. That's the 26th-best scoring average in the nation. He's also ranked in four other national categories: field-goal percentage, free-throw percentage, assists and steals.
The only thing that has gone wrong is Pepperdine's record, which is 5-12. The Waves opened West Coast Conference play on Saturday with a 79-75 victory over visiting Loyola Marymount. They host Santa Clara on Thursday.
But Bell said that early attention going his way works to his advantage.
"It gives me a chance to get the ball to our other players," he said. "Then they have to begin to respect our guys and play us tighter. That's when it opens up my game. I just have to be patient."
He scored a season-high 34 points in an 82-73 victory over Monmouth, but he was held to a season-low six points in a 64-47 loss at Georgia recently. He has been the Waves' leading scorer in 12 games, topping 20 points nine times, including 22 against both UCLA and Miami. He is the only player to have started all
17 games and in addition to being the leader in those five nationally-ranked categories, he leads the team in steals and is second in rebounds with a 4.9 average.
He is also the team leader in a more dubious statistic: turnovers. He has more turnovers (70) than assists (64). "That's his only bugaboo," Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury said. "He's working on managing them better. "It's all about the eyes, Bell said.
"I'll see three sets of eyes on me," he said. "Then I know someone is open and I want to get them the ball for a better shot." The problem is that even Bell admits he does not necessarily know what he is going to do. "Sometimes, even when I get in the air, I don't know what I'm going to do," he said. "If I see someone with a better shot, I'll pass it. " Asbury calls some of those passes unbelievable. "He makes passes players don't expect," he said.
"Coach told everyone the other day to not go for rebounds until they see the ball in the air," Bell said. "We're a young team. They're still learning what I can do." Bell's assist-to-turnover ratio has been shrinking, and as much as Asbury said he tries to have Bell work on limiting the turnovers, he doesn't want to take that flash out of his game.
"Keion's going to make plays," Asbury said. "He is so athletic. He lives on the edge on the court. Sometimes, he's going to make 10 turnovers a game, sometimes none."That has already happened this season. He had 11 turnovers in a loss to Wyoming, but has had no turnovers in a couple of other games, including the victory over Monmouth, when he also had four assists and a team-high nine rebounds.
The 6-foot-3 guard was named to the WCC all-freshman team last season and Asbury said he should strongly be considered for first-team all-conference honors this season. But a lot has changed from last year. In a daily summer workout program, he gained 25 pounds, up to 200 pounds, and he acquired more speed because of weight room work, he said. He also spent most of the summer working with two-time NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury at Taft High School on ball handling and free-throw shooting. He also spent a week working on the same drills with Andre Iguodale of the 76ers.
Bell has taken nearly 125 free throws, a third of the Waves' attempts. The weight gain, which consisted mostly of peanut butter sandwiches and milk six to eight times a day, and the work with Marbury, has improved his game and apparently has drawn the eyes of NBA teams.
"If he keeps progressing ..." Asbury said. "He's a player who could make it. He'll have to be a point guard, which means he has to cut down on his turnovers.
"We're glad to have him. If he had been refined out of high school, he could have gone anywhere he wanted ... North Carolina, Kentucky."Last year, Bell said his current attack-the-basket style would have had him crumpling to the ground against all those big men.
"That style of play, I know I will go to the free-throw line a lot," he said. "Stephon taught me a technique that works really well." Bell said he has heard those NBA rumors, too, but admits he is not taking much stock; implying he may not even consider the NBA until after his junior year.
"I can't say," Bell said. "I hope to play at the next level."
Santa Clara - Team Notes
GETTING INSIDE
It's difficult to feel good about losing the first two conference games, as Santa Clara did against San Diego and St. Mary's, especially when both were at home. However, Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating has to be encouraged by his team's play in the second half of its 80-72 loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10.
The Gaels were on the verge of running the Broncos out of their own gym -- St. Mary's was ahead by 17 points less than a minute into the second half. But the Broncos stepped up their defensive intensity and started to exploit St. Mary's defense by penetrating off the dribble. Santa Clara even forced the Gaels to play a zone defense late in the game, something Gaels coach Randy Bennett is reluctant to do.
And Keating had to like the play of his freshman point guard, Robert Smith. The Broncos don't have many offensive weapons since losing leading scorer Kevin Foster, probably for the season, because of a foot injury. But Smith dazzled the usually tough St. Mary's defense with his ability to penetrate against whichever defender St. Mary's put on him. Smith finished with 23 points, six more than his previous career high, and 17 of his points came in the second half when the Broncos made their comeback. He was the driving force behind a Santa Clara surge that cut a 17-point deficit with 19:51 left down to four deficit with 11:53 remaining.
The Broncos outscored St. Mary's 21-8 in that eight-minute segment, and though the Broncos could not sustain it, that seemed to give them an offensive identity as a team that can score by being aggressive off the dribble. It might prompt future Santa Clara opponents to play more zone defense against the Broncos, who are not a good three-point shooting team, but forcing the opponent do something outside its comfort zone should help the Broncos.
Santa Clara is not going to win the WCC. In fact, it will have a hard time finishing higher than seventh. But the play of Smith gives the Broncos a foundation for the rest of this season and the future. These days, the construction of a successful team starts at the point guard position, and the Broncos might have one in place for the next 3 1/2 years.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Santa Clara's game against Harvard on Jan. 4 was the Broncos' first home sellout of the season. The main attraction was Harvard star Jeremy Lin, who went to high school in nearby Palo Alto.
--Despite their youth and the fast pace of the game, the Broncos committed only seven turnovers against St. Mary's.
--Ben Dowdell had only nine points against St. Mary's, but his aggression seemed to help Santa Clara's energy.
ON THE SPOT: The Broncos are not a good outside shooting team. They were hitting only 29.4 percent of their three-pointers as of Jan. 11, and an inability to hit from the perimeter will prompt a lot of teams to play zone against them. That will negate a lot of what the Broncos do best, which is penetrate off the dribble. Mike Santos is their best three-point shooter, but his playing time is limited and Santa Clara's next best three-point shooter is Marc Trasolini, who is the team's best inside threat.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I thought we took a step forward even though we didn't win the game, but our effort was there." -- Santa coach Kerry Keating, after an eight-point loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
SEASON RECAP: The Broncos were 7-5 at one point, but have lost six of their last seven games and are all but out of the WCC race after two conference games. They played better in an eight-point loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10, but they have already lost two conference home games, and don't have the offensive firepower to win games on the road. At this point, Kerry Keating is trying to find a lineup combination that works as he continues to put different starting fives on the court. Without injured Kevin Foster, the Broncos lack a go-to player on offense.
PLAYER ROTATION: Usual Starters -- G Robert Smith, F Marc Trasolini, F Niyi Harrison, F Raymond Cowels, G Troy Payne. Key Subs -- F Ben Dowdell, G Troy Alexander, G Michael Santos.
GETTING INSIDE
It's difficult to feel good about losing the first two conference games, as Santa Clara did against San Diego and St. Mary's, especially when both were at home. However, Santa Clara coach Kerry Keating has to be encouraged by his team's play in the second half of its 80-72 loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10.
The Gaels were on the verge of running the Broncos out of their own gym -- St. Mary's was ahead by 17 points less than a minute into the second half. But the Broncos stepped up their defensive intensity and started to exploit St. Mary's defense by penetrating off the dribble. Santa Clara even forced the Gaels to play a zone defense late in the game, something Gaels coach Randy Bennett is reluctant to do.
And Keating had to like the play of his freshman point guard, Robert Smith. The Broncos don't have many offensive weapons since losing leading scorer Kevin Foster, probably for the season, because of a foot injury. But Smith dazzled the usually tough St. Mary's defense with his ability to penetrate against whichever defender St. Mary's put on him. Smith finished with 23 points, six more than his previous career high, and 17 of his points came in the second half when the Broncos made their comeback. He was the driving force behind a Santa Clara surge that cut a 17-point deficit with 19:51 left down to four deficit with 11:53 remaining.
The Broncos outscored St. Mary's 21-8 in that eight-minute segment, and though the Broncos could not sustain it, that seemed to give them an offensive identity as a team that can score by being aggressive off the dribble. It might prompt future Santa Clara opponents to play more zone defense against the Broncos, who are not a good three-point shooting team, but forcing the opponent do something outside its comfort zone should help the Broncos.
Santa Clara is not going to win the WCC. In fact, it will have a hard time finishing higher than seventh. But the play of Smith gives the Broncos a foundation for the rest of this season and the future. These days, the construction of a successful team starts at the point guard position, and the Broncos might have one in place for the next 3 1/2 years.
NOTES, QUOTES
--Santa Clara's game against Harvard on Jan. 4 was the Broncos' first home sellout of the season. The main attraction was Harvard star Jeremy Lin, who went to high school in nearby Palo Alto.
--Despite their youth and the fast pace of the game, the Broncos committed only seven turnovers against St. Mary's.
--Ben Dowdell had only nine points against St. Mary's, but his aggression seemed to help Santa Clara's energy.
ON THE SPOT: The Broncos are not a good outside shooting team. They were hitting only 29.4 percent of their three-pointers as of Jan. 11, and an inability to hit from the perimeter will prompt a lot of teams to play zone against them. That will negate a lot of what the Broncos do best, which is penetrate off the dribble. Mike Santos is their best three-point shooter, but his playing time is limited and Santa Clara's next best three-point shooter is Marc Trasolini, who is the team's best inside threat.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I thought we took a step forward even though we didn't win the game, but our effort was there." -- Santa coach Kerry Keating, after an eight-point loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
SEASON RECAP: The Broncos were 7-5 at one point, but have lost six of their last seven games and are all but out of the WCC race after two conference games. They played better in an eight-point loss to St. Mary's on Jan. 10, but they have already lost two conference home games, and don't have the offensive firepower to win games on the road. At this point, Kerry Keating is trying to find a lineup combination that works as he continues to put different starting fives on the court. Without injured Kevin Foster, the Broncos lack a go-to player on offense.
PLAYER ROTATION: Usual Starters -- G Robert Smith, F Marc Trasolini, F Niyi Harrison, F Raymond Cowels, G Troy Payne. Key Subs -- F Ben Dowdell, G Troy Alexander, G Michael Santos.
GAME REVIEW:
Santa Clara 71, New Hampshire 68
San Diego 55, Santa Clara 46
St. Mary's 80, Santa Clara 72
GAME PREVIEW:
at Pepperdine, Thursday, Jan. 14
at Loyola Marymount, Saturday, Jan. 16
at San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 23
vs. Gonzaga, Thursday, Jan. 28
vs. Portland, Saturday, Jan. 30
IN FOCUS: The Broncos' Jan. 14 game against Pepperdine will be their first road game since a three-point loss at Rice on Dec. 16. The Broncos have played eight consecutive home games since. The Waves are coming off an encouraging home victory over Loyola Marymount, but have lost nine of their past 11 games, so Santa Clara should not be intimidated. Santa Clara needs point guard Robert Smith to have a productive, efficient game, with very few turnovers, and they need to play the kind of aggressive trapping defense they played against St. Mary's. If the Broncos use their ability to penetrate to get Pepperdine players into foul trouble, they have a chance.
ROSTER REPORT:
--Marc Trasolini, the team's top scorer since the loss of Kevin Foster, was held out of the starting lineup against St. Mary's after going scoreless two days earlier in the Jan. 8 game against San Diego. Trasolini came off the bench to score 18 points and collect nine rebounds against St. Mary's.
--Troy Payne is the only Santa Clara player who has started all 19 games.
--Mike Santos went scoreless against St. Mary's on Jan. 10, the first time he has gone without a point since he was moved into the starting lineup five games earlier. Santos was been the team's leading scorer in the Jan. 8 game against San Diego with 12 points.
Santa Clara 71, New Hampshire 68
San Diego 55, Santa Clara 46
St. Mary's 80, Santa Clara 72
GAME PREVIEW:
at Pepperdine, Thursday, Jan. 14
at Loyola Marymount, Saturday, Jan. 16
at San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 23
vs. Gonzaga, Thursday, Jan. 28
vs. Portland, Saturday, Jan. 30
IN FOCUS: The Broncos' Jan. 14 game against Pepperdine will be their first road game since a three-point loss at Rice on Dec. 16. The Broncos have played eight consecutive home games since. The Waves are coming off an encouraging home victory over Loyola Marymount, but have lost nine of their past 11 games, so Santa Clara should not be intimidated. Santa Clara needs point guard Robert Smith to have a productive, efficient game, with very few turnovers, and they need to play the kind of aggressive trapping defense they played against St. Mary's. If the Broncos use their ability to penetrate to get Pepperdine players into foul trouble, they have a chance.
ROSTER REPORT:
--Marc Trasolini, the team's top scorer since the loss of Kevin Foster, was held out of the starting lineup against St. Mary's after going scoreless two days earlier in the Jan. 8 game against San Diego. Trasolini came off the bench to score 18 points and collect nine rebounds against St. Mary's.
--Troy Payne is the only Santa Clara player who has started all 19 games.
--Mike Santos went scoreless against St. Mary's on Jan. 10, the first time he has gone without a point since he was moved into the starting lineup five games earlier. Santos was been the team's leading scorer in the Jan. 8 game against San Diego with 12 points.
Santa Clara 64, Pepperdine 52
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- John Bryant scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds and Santa Clara won its fourth straight game with a 64-52 victory over Pepperdine Saturday night.
It was the 17th double-double of the season for Bryant, a 6-foot-11 senior who ranks second nationally in that category and in rebounds. Kevin Foster, one of six freshmen starters in the game (three for each team), had 15 points, Calvin Johnson scored 12 and James Rahon 11 for the Broncos (11-13, 3-4 WCC), who tied a season high with 12 3-pointers.
Khion Bell had 12 points and Mychel Thompson 10 for Pepperdine (5-18, 2-5), losers of five of six.
The Wave had had no answer inside for the 275-pound Bryant, who has lost 75 pounds since he entered Santa Clara. With his ninth rebound he became just the third Santa Clara player to record 1,000 career rebounds. Bryant, who made 7-of-9 shots, improved on his season averages of 17.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
Foster made one of his five 3-pointers to start a 15-4 run early in the second half to give Santa Clara a 51-34 edge. A putback and three-point play by Bryant moments later gave the Broncos their largest lead, 57-38 with 8:27 left.
Foster, Johnson and Rahon scored 36 of their 38 points on 3-pointers, where the Broncos converted 12 of 28 attempts.
Pepperdine was coming off its first road win this season, 69-67 at USF on Thursday.
Santa Clara won last year's home game over Pepperdine 101-86, the first time it had scored in triple digits since 1993.
It was the 17th double-double of the season for Bryant, a 6-foot-11 senior who ranks second nationally in that category and in rebounds. Kevin Foster, one of six freshmen starters in the game (three for each team), had 15 points, Calvin Johnson scored 12 and James Rahon 11 for the Broncos (11-13, 3-4 WCC), who tied a season high with 12 3-pointers.
Khion Bell had 12 points and Mychel Thompson 10 for Pepperdine (5-18, 2-5), losers of five of six.
The Wave had had no answer inside for the 275-pound Bryant, who has lost 75 pounds since he entered Santa Clara. With his ninth rebound he became just the third Santa Clara player to record 1,000 career rebounds. Bryant, who made 7-of-9 shots, improved on his season averages of 17.0 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
Foster made one of his five 3-pointers to start a 15-4 run early in the second half to give Santa Clara a 51-34 edge. A putback and three-point play by Bryant moments later gave the Broncos their largest lead, 57-38 with 8:27 left.
Foster, Johnson and Rahon scored 36 of their 38 points on 3-pointers, where the Broncos converted 12 of 28 attempts.
Pepperdine was coming off its first road win this season, 69-67 at USF on Thursday.
Santa Clara won last year's home game over Pepperdine 101-86, the first time it had scored in triple digits since 1993.
Gonzaga still the WCC men's basketball favorite
By Curtis Pashelka Contra Costa Times
Posted: 01/07/2010 06:14:52 PM PST
Those looking for a major shake-up in West Coast Conference men's basketball are probably going to have to wait at least another season.
Gonzaga appears primed to win a 10th straight regular-season conference title, with Saint Mary's and Portland as primary challengers. Loyola Marymount should improve, but the bottom four spots in the conference are essentially up for grabs.
Here's a brief look at the WCC, in predicted order of finish.
1. Gonzaga (11-3)
Despite losing four starters off last season's Sweet 16 team, the Bulldogs have been impressive against several major conference schools and remain the conference favorites. Holdovers Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray and Robert Sacre are all scoring in double figures, and freshman forward Elias Harris is averaging 13.9 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per game. The Zags' first three conference games will be their toughest. If they sweep those, another 14-0 WCC record seems likely.
2. Saint Mary's (13-2)
So far, the Gaels have exceeded expectations. Center Omar Samhan is a WCC player of the year candidate, Mickey McConnell has ably filled the point guard role, and freshman guard Matthew Dellavedova is second on the team in points and assists. The Gaels are proving to be a better shooting and passing team than last season, when they finished with 28 wins. Defense is Saint Mary's primary concern.
3. The Pilots created a stir with nonconference wins over Oregon, UCLA and Minnesota. Subsequent losses to Portland State and Idaho and a 35-point beatdown by Washington tamped that enthusiasm. Still, this is the best Portland team in years, with four senior starters and juniors Jared Stohl and Luke Sikma coming off the bench. The Pilots aren't going to wow anyone with their athleticism, but they're fundamentally solid.
4. Loyola Marymount (9-7)
The Lions have victories over USC and Notre Dame and are on a six-game win streak. Oregon transfer Drew Viney, a forward, leads the team in scoring, and guard Vernon Teel leads the conference with 6.5 assists per game. Viney and guard Jarred DuBois are the team's lone 3-point threats, but LMU should be decent defensively and a much tougher test than in years past.
5. San Diego (7-9)
The Toreros will go as far as Brandon Johnson takes them, as the electrifying senior guard has recovered from a torn Achilles tendon and is averaging 15.8 points per game. San Diego loves to shoot 3s. Senior guard De'Jon Jackson is one of the better defenders in the conference, but the Toreros lack a dominant big man.
6. Santa Clara (8-9)
The Broncos are 4-6 since losing guard Kevin Foster for the season with a foot injury, leaving forward Marc Trasolini as Santa Clara's offensive leader. Freshmen Robert Smith and Ray Cowels are promising, but Santa Clara isn't going anywhere until it cuts down its nearly 17 turnovers per game.
7. USF (5-10)
The Dons challenged themselves with several tough nonconference road games but really don't have much to show for it. Forward Dior Lowhorn will carry the load offensively, and he might have help this season from guard Kwame Vaughn and forward Angelo Caloiaro. Defense is USF's biggest concern, though, as it has allowed more than 74 points per game and opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field.
8. Pepperdine (4-12)
Guard Keion Bell might end up as the conference's leading scorer this season, and Mychel Thompson is a solid all-around player. But the Waves have a serious lack of size and do not shoot the ball well enough to make up for their other deficiencies.
By Curtis Pashelka Contra Costa Times
Posted: 01/07/2010 06:14:52 PM PST
Those looking for a major shake-up in West Coast Conference men's basketball are probably going to have to wait at least another season.
Gonzaga appears primed to win a 10th straight regular-season conference title, with Saint Mary's and Portland as primary challengers. Loyola Marymount should improve, but the bottom four spots in the conference are essentially up for grabs.
Here's a brief look at the WCC, in predicted order of finish.
1. Gonzaga (11-3)
Despite losing four starters off last season's Sweet 16 team, the Bulldogs have been impressive against several major conference schools and remain the conference favorites. Holdovers Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray and Robert Sacre are all scoring in double figures, and freshman forward Elias Harris is averaging 13.9 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per game. The Zags' first three conference games will be their toughest. If they sweep those, another 14-0 WCC record seems likely.
2. Saint Mary's (13-2)
So far, the Gaels have exceeded expectations. Center Omar Samhan is a WCC player of the year candidate, Mickey McConnell has ably filled the point guard role, and freshman guard Matthew Dellavedova is second on the team in points and assists. The Gaels are proving to be a better shooting and passing team than last season, when they finished with 28 wins. Defense is Saint Mary's primary concern.
3. The Pilots created a stir with nonconference wins over Oregon, UCLA and Minnesota. Subsequent losses to Portland State and Idaho and a 35-point beatdown by Washington tamped that enthusiasm. Still, this is the best Portland team in years, with four senior starters and juniors Jared Stohl and Luke Sikma coming off the bench. The Pilots aren't going to wow anyone with their athleticism, but they're fundamentally solid.
4. Loyola Marymount (9-7)
The Lions have victories over USC and Notre Dame and are on a six-game win streak. Oregon transfer Drew Viney, a forward, leads the team in scoring, and guard Vernon Teel leads the conference with 6.5 assists per game. Viney and guard Jarred DuBois are the team's lone 3-point threats, but LMU should be decent defensively and a much tougher test than in years past.
5. San Diego (7-9)
The Toreros will go as far as Brandon Johnson takes them, as the electrifying senior guard has recovered from a torn Achilles tendon and is averaging 15.8 points per game. San Diego loves to shoot 3s. Senior guard De'Jon Jackson is one of the better defenders in the conference, but the Toreros lack a dominant big man.
6. Santa Clara (8-9)
The Broncos are 4-6 since losing guard Kevin Foster for the season with a foot injury, leaving forward Marc Trasolini as Santa Clara's offensive leader. Freshmen Robert Smith and Ray Cowels are promising, but Santa Clara isn't going anywhere until it cuts down its nearly 17 turnovers per game.
7. USF (5-10)
The Dons challenged themselves with several tough nonconference road games but really don't have much to show for it. Forward Dior Lowhorn will carry the load offensively, and he might have help this season from guard Kwame Vaughn and forward Angelo Caloiaro. Defense is USF's biggest concern, though, as it has allowed more than 74 points per game and opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field.
8. Pepperdine (4-12)
Guard Keion Bell might end up as the conference's leading scorer this season, and Mychel Thompson is a solid all-around player. But the Waves have a serious lack of size and do not shoot the ball well enough to make up for their other deficiencies.
