One-sided don’t show much on paper and the men’s basketball team has not wasted many opportunities to dispose of Loyola Marymount over the years. Entering Saturday the Waves had handed LMU a steady beating over the past decade winning 21 of 23 games including five straight.
But with only one game on hand during the weekend for each team their own rivalry game Pepperdine men’s basketball head coach Tom Asbury made sure his young team was prepared to make it seven in a row in an always hostile Gersten Pavilion.
“[Our] coaches stressed to us how huge the rivalry is before the game said freshman forward Taylor Darby. They told us we had a great opportunity to once again sweep LMU.”
The Waves made it six straight and 22 of 24 as they used a stifling defensive first half and key free throws down the stretch to defeat the Lions 58-43 in front of 2384 at Gersten Pavilion.Pepperdine (6-18 3-5) held the Lions (1-23 0-8) to a season-low 25.8 percent shooting including a 10-for-37 performance (27 percent) for their top two scorers sophomore guards Vernon Teel and Jarred DuBois.
“We did what we set out to accomplish. Our man and zone defenses were both outstanding Asbury said. We paid a lot of attention to DuBois because he had 17 points the last time we played. Our coaches prepared our team well to shut them down.”
Senior Ryan Holmes making his return to the starting lineup after suffering a knee injury that forced him to miss 12 games paced the Waves with 18 points and four assists in 31 minutes of action.
“[Saturday’s game] was best game Ryan has had for me by far Asbury said. He was solid in all areas and ran the team efficiently.”
The Waves jumped out to a 16-9 lead halfway through the first half behind Holmes Darby and freshman guard Keion Bell. Darby had six points during a 12-2 run and Bell got the Waves going again toward the end of the half with five consecutive points to close out the Lions on a 7-0 run heading into the locker room.
The Lions crawled back behind the loudening crowd to tie the game at 37-37 with eight minutes to go but Bell who has been the offensive spark all season put-back a tough offensive rebound to start an 11-0 run.
“We got a little scared in the second half when LMU started coming back but we called a couple timeouts and refocused to build back up the league Darby said.
The run was the beginning of the end for the Lions, as Pepperdine outscored LMU 21-6 the rest of the way. Holmes, Darby and senior guard Mike Hornbuckle hit key free throws down the stretch to keep the game out of reach.
For Bell, it was his second double-double of the season, with 15 points to go along with his 11 rebounds. Darby had eight points, and hit all four of his free throws.
The Lions’ scoring output was the lowest point total the Waves have held an opponent to this season, as well as a new LMU-low
Big Men Again.
Despite the nice one-game weekend, especially against the hapless Lions, the Waves get back right into the thick of the conference this weekend, with games against Santa Clara and San Diego.
Even though the Waves have won two of their last three, the two matchups during homecoming weekend will be no small task, literally.
Santa Clara’s 6-foot-10 John Bryant (the nation’s leading rebounder) and USD’s 6-foot-9 Gyno Pomare each have had their success against the Waves, scoring in double figures and leading their teams to victory over Pepperdine in the first half of conference play.
Nobody has been able to figure out Bryant or Pomare Asbury said. We need to defend them more intelligently. [Sophomore Gus Clardy] will get some more minutes because of the way he played against Bryant last time.”
The seldom used Clardy set his career-high in minutes played in Moraga Calif. when the Waves fell to the Broncos 64-52 with 27.
For all the defense the Waves can throw at the two centers they will be up against Asbury knows he needs his sophomore swingman and team leader Mychel Thompson to get out of shooting slump. Thompson was 0-for-7 on Saturday against LMU and has only shot 20 percent in the last three games.
“Like a good hitter in baseball you slump from time to time Asbury said. You just hope it doesn’t get prolonged because then it starts to affect your overall game.”
The Waves take on Santa Clara (Pepperdine has won the last three home meetings against the Broncos) Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and the Torreros on Saturday at 5 p.m.