The women’s basketball team defeated Santa Clara on Saturday 65-51 in the Firestone Fieldhouse marking its fourth win in a row in West Coast Conference play. Senior center Miranda Ayim tied her previous career high by scoring 29 points for the Waves.
Pepperdine (16-8 7-3) has defeated Santa Clara in both home and away matches this season and has also defeated San Francisco and Loyola Marymount twice.
Ayim scored her career high twice this season in both home and away meetings with Santa Clara.
The Waves started the game with a 14-2 lead which included a 12-0 run right off the bat. Halftime ended at 34-21; a healthy lead for the Waves.
Waves Head Coach Julie Rousseau said she was disappointed with her team’s performance at the half.
“At one point we were up 32 to 10 and we only scored two more points Rousseau said. I was disappointed that we couldn’t sustain the attack and the productivity that we were getting.”
At the end of the second half the Waves scored just shy of the 34-point first half sinking 31 points. In the last two minutes of the game the Waves hit seven free throws to bring their score from 58 to 65.
Rousseau was happy with her team’s victory but said she wanted to see more consistent play from the Waves.
“Santa Clara is a dangerous team because they have a lot of shooters Rousseau said. Any time you have three-point shooters you are always in the game. We knew we had to get a lead and sustain it and I thought we did that. I thought our energy initially was really good then it kind of dropped off.”
The Waves forced 23 turnovers over the course of the game and sophomore Jazmine Jackson had a team high of 17 rebounds total— 10 rebounds and seven offensive rebounds.
“I thought we played hard; we played well Rousseau said. We went on a cold spell at the end but we relied on our rebounding and we continued to get some stops when we needed to.”
In the all-time series between the WCC opponents Santa Clara is still in the lead at 30-29 but the Waves have won the previous four meetings in a row.
“They’re having a tough year but they are in every single game Rousseau said. They push each team to the brink.”
Tonight the Waves will take on Portland on the road at 7 p.m. The Waves lost in their previous match against the Pilots but Rousseau says they are hopeful for a better go-around this time.
“I think our defense has improved since the last time we saw them and we are relying on those improvements to help us in this game Rousseau said.
Rousseau called the Pilots a clever” team and said the Waves will have their hands full this week.
“Portland wants to move up and they see us as their opportunity to move up in the standings Rousseau said.
The Waves will also challenge the WCC leader Gonzaga this Saturday in Spokane, Wash. at 2 p.m.
