DEREK SEDAM
Staff Writer
Kanye West makes his living by dominating the rap charts with hits like “Stronger” and “The Good Life.” The Gonzaga Bulldogs dominate the Pepperdine men’s basketball team with the same mantras.
The rivalry that was once the jewel of the mid-majors out west is no more. The Bulldogs (18-6, 7-1 West Coast Conference) continued their stronghold over the Waves and lived the good life with their 14th-straight victory over Pepperdine, 101-59. The game was played in front of a sold-out McCarthey Center in Spokane, Wash., and the Waves were outmatched from the start.
For interim coach Eric Bridgeland, the lopsided loss was hard to swallow.
“We got our teeth kicked in,” Bridgeland said. “This was the first game the team hasn’t been in since I’ve been coaching.”
With only one true post player now left for the Waves (freshman forward Malcolm Thomas), the Zags controlled the paint and the glass the entire game. Going against the likes of Josh Heytvelt, Austin Daye and Abdullahi Kuso (all over 6-foot-10-inches), Pepperdine stood no chance being out-rebounded 60-26 and out-scored 56-18 in the paint.
“We have no post depth, and with Gonzaga, they have five solid big men. We just look physically immature against them,” Bridgeland said.
Gonzaga’s top two scorers, guards Jeremy Pargo and Matt Bouldin, recorded 13 first-half assists and junior Micah Downs scored 18 points to give the Zags the easy win.
Pepperdine’s top two scorers, Thomas and freshman Tyrone Shelley, had their fair share of troubles against the Zags’ big men. Thomas chipped in only 5 points, committing 5 turnovers, while Shelley had the worst shooting night of his young career, going 4 for 19 from the field (his made three-pointer was an errant pass).
Jon Reed was the lone bright spot for the Waves, going for 14 points on 5 of 10 shooting, including a rare two-point basket for the freshman (96 percent of his shots this season have been from long-range).
“Since John has become a staple in our rotation, he’s made an impact in every game,” Bridgeland said.
The Waves’ first-half play Monday against Portland was the same story from Saturday. They were out-rebounded, out-scored and out-played. Left looking for answers after Shelley fouled out with 12 minutes left and down 51-33, Pepperdine found the answer and the come-from-behind win from the unlikeliest source, the upperclassmen.
With the freshmen leading the way most of the year, junior guards Rico Tucker, Mike Hornbuckle and Ryan Holmes decided to make the Chiles Center their shooting range, sinking three after three in one of the biggest comebacks in Pepperdine history.
Hornbuckle drained four three-pointers in the second half and Tucker scored all of his 17 during the last half including two crucial lay-ups and three free-throws in the final two minutes to seal the victory, 71-66. Holmes and John Reed each contributed 12 points in the winning effort.
“Nothing was going our way,” Bridgeland said. “But whether we are up or down, it’s going to be a 40-minute fight from our guys. Hornbuckle, Reed and Holmes all shot well and shared the ball. Rico trusted his teammates in the second half and created off their creativity.”
The Waves used a half-court trap that paid off with 23 turnovers and 25 points of those turnovers. Freshman swingman Mychel Thompson had 4 steals and Tucker had 3.
“Just like against LMU earlier this year, our defense took over the game and helped us win,” Bridgeland said.
Homecoming Weekend is up next for the Waves (8-17, 2-7) with two televised games on Fox Sports Prime Ticket on Saturday and Monday. Bay Area foes Santa Clara and No.-21 Saint Mary’s come to Malibu after the Gaels squeaked by the Broncos 54-50 Monday.
The Waves played both schools Jan. 19 and 21, immediately after the departure of Vance Walberg. The Waves hung tough in both contests, losing to Saint Mary’s in the last minute and almost staging a comeback win at Santa Clara.
“We are going to pressure and must rebound to win these key games,” Bridgeland said. “Both games are going to be on TV and its Homecoming, so we need the Fieldhouse rockin’.”
02-14-2008
