TAYLOR BIRD
Sports Assistant
A season-best 55.9 shooting percentage was not enough to keep the Pepperdine women’s basketball team from falling 92-85 to conference rival Gonzaga on Saturday afternoon. The Waves (6-17, 1-8 WCC) have dropped six games in a row and 14 of their last 15.
Head Coach Julie Rousseau said she is tired of losing but is still optimistic the team can bounce back before the end of the season.
“We just played the No.-1 team in our conference, and we were there,” she said. “We didn’t rebound, we didn’t do a few things, [but] if we just keep improving on those areas that we’re weak, I think we’ll turn things around.”
Pepperdine won the opening tip-off and quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a field goal by sophomore forward Miranda Ayim. But Gonzaga (17-7, 8-1 WCC) then scored seven consecutive points, helped out by a three-pointer by guard Michelle Elliott from the corner, to open up a 7-2 lead.
The Bulldogs held onto the lead until Waves’ senior center Teiosha George knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 21 with 9:15 remaining in the half, which ended with a 44-42 Gonzaga advantage.
The score was close until 13 unanswered points by the Bulldogs put them ahead, 65-55, with 9:24 left to play. The Waves then scored six consecutive points to pull within four, 65-61.
But this was the closest Pepperdine reached the rest of the game, as Gonzaga put on the pressure and forced several free throw opportunities to go up by as many as 11 points with less than 20 seconds to play.
Kennedy provided another solid effort, leading the Waves with 28 points and 6 assists. Ayim added 23 points and 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season, while George pitched in 18 points and 6 rebounds.
Despite the loss, Pepperdine shot a perfect 16-for-16 from the free-throw line, and out-shot Gonzaga from the field, 55.9 percent to 51.5 percent.
“One of our problems was that we got out-rebounded,” George said. “Last week we focused on our defense, and I think we picked it up this week, but we have to work on our boxing-out and rebounding.”
Gonzaga recorded 33 rebounds to the Waves’ 30 and committed 15 turnovers to Pepperdine’s 23.
“We’re gearing up to try to get some momentum going into conference tournament play,” Rousseau said. “We’re not giving up. There’s no quit in us.”
Rousseau said she believes the team’s lingering hardships will serve as a test of faith and character in the games ahead.
“This is probably the toughest season I’ve ever had as a coach,” she said. “But … what we’re going through now is preparation for what’s to come. We’re building character right now.”
The Waves begin a three-game road trip today, when they travel to Santa Clara to face the Broncos (16-7, 5-3 WCC) before taking on St. Mary’s (11-13, 3-5 WCC) on Saturday afternoon.
02-14-2008
