By Lauren Gustus
Sports Editor
ESPN.com is running a weekly poll until the round of 64 is selected that gauges which teams should be considered for “Cinderella” status come March Madness.
Although it’s still January, Pepperdine registers at fourth on a list of eight teams, behind Texas Tech (Bobby Knight’s team), Ball St. (Dave Letterman’s alma mater) and Western Kentucky.
The Waves haven’t lost yet in the year 2002, logging a dominating 84-59 victory over LMU last night at Firestone Fieldhouse and a double overtime triumph in San Diego on Saturday.
It seems that a perfect conference record (6-0) is good enough for just the middle of the pack, according to ESPN surfers.
All of this hoopla over seedings matters little to head coach Paul Westphal.
“If someone asked me to vote, I wouldn’t be able to make an intelligent decision,” said the coach. “I’m sure they are feeling the same way.”
Last night, the Waves saw much of what they’ll see this weekend when they travel to Westchester to take on the archrival Lions for the second time in four days Saturday evening on LMU’s home court.
Looking ahead, Glen McGowan thinks the Waves will face a tougher challenge on Saturday in the Lions’ den.
“We’ll have to pick up our intensity because the second game’s always the hardest,” McGowan said.
Westphal said that if LMU had put more of their shots away the game would have been closer.
The Lions could not find the bottom of the net, especially in the first half, when their shooting percentage hovered near 30 percent, compared to the Waves’ 57 percent.
Pepperdine led 44-27 at the half. Jimmy Miggins was the Waves’ leading scorer with 11 as the teams headed into the locker rooms and Greg Lakey from LMU had 12 to pace the Lions.
The Waves have won the last seven meetings between the two teams, including last night.
In a game during which Pepperdine never relinquished the lead, the Waves seemed to toy with the Lions as if they were only bear cubs.
With 12 minutes left in the game, McGowan hit two consecutive threes to put the Waves up 66-35, gicing them Pepperdine its largest lead of the night, 31 points.
Big man Cedric Suitt was injured in a ruckus underneath LMU’s basket with 13:45 left. The center injured his back when he collided with the pole of the basket.
“It’s been very sore,” said Westphal, “ He probably won’t practice for a couple days, but given how tough he’s been playing he’ll probably play on Saturday.”
The crowd went wild with 14:40 left in the second half over what was arguably the best play of the game.
In a move worthy of the Sportscenter highlight reel, Boomer Brazzle inbounded an alley oop pass off a time out to Terrance Johnson, who skied above three defenders for the dunk.
“We’re just having fun,” said McGowan of the huge dunks the Waves laid down on Wednesday. “When we fill the lanes we know it’s going up.”
Every player on the Waves’ 13 man roster saw action against the Lions. Reserves Mike Westphal entered the game at the 5:00 mark, Micah McKinney came in 4:00 and fan favorite Dennis Johnson at 2:35.
Westphal hit a long three at the 3:40 mark. Freshman Rob Turner and Sophomore Will Kimble started to look like their counterparts McGowan and Terrance Johnson, grabbing rebounds and throwing down a few big shots.
McGowan was the leading scorer for the Waves. He had 17 on the evening, while junior forward Jimmy Miggins had 15 on the night.
Pepperdine finished at an even 50.0 percent from the field on the night.
The Waves seemed content with the large margin of victory, especially after fighting it out for so long against USD in San Diego Saturday.
The excitement was palpable when Pepperdine battled USD at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, as a not-so-insignificant group of orange-clad Waves supporters tore into the Toreros fans after Pepperdine secured a 96-91 victory in the second overtime.
Impassioned Pepperdiners called out in jest that USD’s new gymnasium was, in fact, “our house.”
The patronizing activities of Waves fans, combined with a tough double-overtime loss, left San Diego supporters somewhat miffed.
Pepperdine guards left the Toreros mystified in the last half of the game, shooting a scorching 66.7 percent after the break. Montgomery had two of his team-high 19 points with 40 seconds left in the game, to put the Waves up by 73-70.
But USD’s Tom Lippold connected on a three with 28 seconds left to play, tying the game at 73-73.
In a game that featured 25 ties and 19 lead changes, it took an extraordinary block by Suitt at the end of regulation to send the Waves into overtime and onto an eventual victory.
The block, one of Suitt’s 10 on the evening, was on a lay-up attempt by USD’s Andre Laws. Laws had 30 points, but it was not enough get the Toreros out of an overtime appointment with the Waves.
The teams stood even at 80 apiece when the buzzer signaled the end of the first overtime and Pepperdine was unable to capitalize on three open looks at the basket that would have given the team the win.
Sharpshooter Lewis (15 points) put the Waves ahead for good with just under 30 seconds left in the second overtime, 93-91.
Laws missed a three and Pepperdine gained possession after the shot bounced off the shot clock above the basket.
The ensuing inbounds pass went to Westphal, who was immediately fouled.
He went 1 for 2 at the line, putting the Waves at 94-91. USD raced down-court for another unsuccessful three-point attempt.
The Waves’ Gary Colbert secured the rebound, was fouled and made both shots, to make the score 96-91, which stood at the buzzer.
January 31, 2002