The scoreboard was a sight for sore eyes tonight at the men’s season opening exhibition against La Verne in Malibu despite the fact that junior guards Keion Bell and Lorne Jackson didn’t dress for the game.
The larger-than-normal crowd at Firestone Fieldhouse chanted “start the bus” as the clock winded down and they looked at a scoreboard that read Home: 79 Visitor: 51 the most obvious indication that the team had no problem against their visiting competitors.
La Verne had the first three points of the game but it was the only lead they would see as the Waves quickly responded snatching the lead and extending it to 15 with 7:13 left in the first half.
La Verne attempted to stop the Waves momentum with a feeble full court press but it did little to phase the Pepperdine offense. With fewer than five steals on the night the Leopards only exhausted themselves with their full-court defensive scheme and their half court defensive plan didn’t prove to be any more successful. The Waves to shot nearly 53 percent from field goal range and an impressive 60 percent behind the arc.
La Verne shot a much less impressive 21 percent from the field and a dismal 17 percent from behind the three point line by games end.
Senior forward Mychel Thompson was the leading scorer for the Waves with 17 points six of which were behind the three-point line an area Pepperdine is comfortable with.
Relying heavily on their perimeter offense last season the Waves have developed multiple three-point threats but according to junior forward Taylor Darby the Waves are looking to push the ball more inside this season.
“The main role of the big man is to rebound and control the boards offensively and defensively Darby said. But we are trying to get the ball inside more on offense.”
Thompson and sophomore guard Joshua Lowery lead the team with seven rebounds each.
The first half ended with the Waves ahead by more than 20 points at 38-17 keeping up the excitement that was sparked by freshman center Jan Maehlen’s dunk with three minutes left to go in the first half.
And the Waves lost no momentum in the second half extending their lead to 30 only six minutes into the second half. The Waves sunk three pointer after three pointer continuing to rely on their perimeter shooting but still utilizing the post as they entered the bonus with just under ten minutes left in the game.
The Leopards made a small rally with five minutes left to play sinking three-pointers in three consecutive possessions but it wasn’t enough as the final buzzer sounded with the Waves ahead 71-48.
Although La Verne wasn’t the toughest opponent the Waves will see all season Darby believes this win is somewhat indicative of the rest of the season.
“We play every team like it’s a big team like we would play UCLA Darby said. I think we will be fine [in Conference].”
The men’s basketball team tips-off again at Portland State in Oregon on Nov. 12. They will return home Nov. 20 to take on Cal State Bakersfield at 7 p.m.