Senior forward Irune Orio rises for a jump shot over the Pacific center on Jan. 15 at Firestone Fieldhouse. Orio finished 50% from the field. Photos by Katherine Lytle
Pepperdine Women’s Basketball dominated from start to finish in a 71–53 win over the University of the Pacific on Jan. 15 at Firestone Fieldhouse. Coming off a two-game skid, the Waves never let up, improving to 11–7 overall and 2–4 in West Coast Conference play.
Pepperdine came out of the gates hot with efficient shooting and up-tempo offense. Junior guard Lina Falk was in control early, scoring five quick points to give the Waves a 10–4 lead midway through the first quarter. By the end of the quarter, Pepperdine led 21–11 behind Falk’s 12 points and strong perimeter defense.
“I just shot with confidence,” Falk said. “Every time the first three goes in, it gives me more confidence. I just kept shooting and trusted my preparation.”
In the second quarter, Pacific tried to close the gap behind sophomore forward Winner Bartholomew’s interior offense but Pepperdine continued to attack the rim with timely cuts to open up passing lanes.
Junior forward Shorna Preston had four points and two rebounds in the paint and helped the Waves carry a 37–26 advantage into halftime.
In the third quarter, Falk continued her offensive rhythm with a pair of threes to extend Pepperdine’s lead to 11. The Waves shot 43.5% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc while holding Pacific to 18% from three. By the end of the third, Pepperdine was in control 57–42.
Head Coach Katie Faulkner said while several recent games have slipped away late, the team has continued to learn and grow from those experiences.
“For a young team, it’s all about staying composed and learning how to maintain a lead,” Faulkner said. “We’ve been in a lot of close games, and the key is to stay focused, execute in every possession and keep growing as a team.”
Graduate guard Meghan Fiso said perimeter defense was an emphasis in their gameplan.
“We knew that Pacific was a really good three-point shooting team and that’s how they’ve been able to stay in games,” Fiso said. “So we knew we needed to limit them, and I’m just glad we executed — 18% is crazy.”
The Waves forced 14 turnovers and converted them into 16 points on the other end.
At the final buzzer, the Waves secured a 71–53 victory in a balanced team effort. Falk led all scorers with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep. Fiso added 12 points and five assists, while sophomore guard Elli Guiney contributed nine points and seven rebounds.
Furthermore, Preston played a large role in containing Bartholomew, who scored 16 points in the first half but was held to just four in the second. Fiso said she credited Preston’s halftime adjustments as another key factor in the win.
“Shorna Preston, in our post, does a phenomenal job of adjusting when she needs to,” Fiso said. “Tonight, she showed that by only letting Bartholomew get four points in the second half. That’s just a credit to Shorna being able to adjust to her opponent and to our team defense overall.”
Shorna Preston guards Winner Bartholomew in the post on Jan. 15 at Firestone Fieldhouse Preston’s interior defense was key in disrupting Pacific’s offensive rhythm.
The Waves also received a spark from their bench, which added 20 points to seal the win.
Next, the Waves will look to carry their momentum into a matchup against WCC leaders Oregon State on Jan. 17 at Firestone Fieldhouse.
“Oregon State is a great team and we’re kind of the underdog,” Falk said. “But the underdog is still a dog.”
__________________
Follow the Graphic on X: @PeppGraphic
Contact Marcos Lizarraga by email: marcos.lizarraga@pepperdine.edu