DAVID NAKAGAMI
Sports Assistant
Saturday’s battle between Pepperdine and rival Loyola Marymount was not just another in-conference game; although West Coast Conference play was still in full swing, this match was a must-win.
The Waves edged the Lions by a final tally of 57-55.
Four games into the conference schedule, the Waves and Lions were the only teams without a conference win. The good news was that one of the fierce rivals would get the much needed win, one that would perhaps generate the momentum to begin the slow climb out of the West Coast Conference basement. However, the bad news was that the slippery slope would get a whole lot steeper for the team with less points on the board at the end of regulation.
Coming into this crucial game, Pepperdine did not have much going its way. The Waves entered the game with a six-game losing streak, including three straight on the road. Similarly, the Lions dragged in a seven-game skid, hoping the home crowd would help will them to their first conference win of the year.
Although the Lions took a quick lead, Pepperdine was able to knot the score at nine apiece at the 11:15 mark. A jumper by junior transfer Gregg Barlow and a layup by senior Chase Griffin helped propel the Waves to their first lead of the game and a nine point lead at halftime, the scoreboard showing 29-20.
Pepperdine came out of the locker room after halftime determined to make the lead last. They started off with a bang, using leading-scorer Marvin Lea’s three-point make and Willie Galick’s lay-in to push the lead to 14 points. However, LMU narrowed the lead to two by going on a 16-4 run in the middle of the half. The game then went down to the wire, with LMU missing two desperation shots in the final seconds to seal the Waves victory.
The first half surge was fueled by Lea, who scored 11 of his game-high 14 points in the first 20 minutes of play. Galick matched Lea’s stellar first half with an equally impressive second half, putting up 10 points while going 5-7 from the field. Big man Jarrad Henry grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and swatted four shots to help Pepperdine on the defensive end.
“We’ve been working so hard, so it’s nice to get rewarded,” said Head Coach Vance Walberg. “Any time you get a win when you’re struggling, it really helps.”
With their first conference win under their belt, Pepperdine looks to continue its winning ways. However, the road trip ahead will be a critical stretch of games for the Waves. They will play all three co-leaders of the West Coast Conference in three consecutive games: Saturday at Moraga, CA against St. Mary’s and Monday at Santa Clara before returning home to host powerhouse Gonzaga. The aforementioned teams are tied atop the WCC with a 4-1 record.
The opportunity to play spoiler and shake up the conference standings should prove good motivation for Pepperdine.
“Playing hard and playing smart is important to get a victory,” said Walberg, referring to the upcoming game against St. Mary’s.
The Waves will battle the Gaels of St. Mary’s Saturday in McKeon Pavilion at 7 p.m.
01-25-2007
