The Waves just can’t seem to find the right mix on the road going 0-10 this season. Maybe it’s the hotel beds or sheets or the long bus rides.
Whatever the case(s) may be poor shooting away from the Firestone Fieldhouse carries a large part of the blame as the Waves road struggles continued to Santa Clara losing 62-54 Saturday.
Sophomore guard Keion Bell’s 25 points were not enough as the men’s seventh straight WCC loss ended their Bay Area road trip on a sour note. The Waves (7-19 3-7) shot a dismal 30.6 percent from the field while hitting only six of 22 3-point attempts.
Marc Trasolini scored 16 points and nabbed eight rebounds to lead the Broncos (11-17 3-8) who had four players in double-figures. The Waves and Broncos split their regular season series (Pepperdine squeaked by 61-60 in Malibu) for the eighth straight year.
With the game tied at 31 at the half SCU used a 14-4 run to start the second frame and never looked back with the Waves only shooting 25 percent (5-of-20) down the stretch.
Bell the second leading scorer in the WCC this season scored 20-plus points for the 13th time this season. Junior swingman Mychel Thompson had 12 points and six rebounds and was the only other Wave in double figures.
For the first time in more than two weeks the Waves will be back on the home court for two televised home games this weekend. A surprise Portland squad comes into town for an early 5 p.m. game on Thursday and the No.-9 Gonzaga Bulldogs look to close the door on Saint Mary’s WCC-regular season title hopes 6 p.m. Saturday.
