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(Las Vegas, NV) - The USD men's basketball team (15-16) dropped a hard-fought 50-47 decision to the No. 4 seed Pepperdine Waves (18-12) in a quarterfinal match-up at the Orleans Arena. Guards Johnny Dee and Vasa Pusica paced the Toreros in scoring with 11 points each, and forward Brandon Perry chipped in with 10 points and 7 rebounds. Pepperdine received a game-high 19 points from All-WCC forward Stacy Davis.

USD held a 24-18 lead at the halftime break with both teams struggling in the shooting department. USD was just 10-32 from the field in the first twenty minutes, while the Waves managed just 6-of-18. A Thomas Jacobs dunk increased USD's lead to 26-18 at the 18:47 mark, but Pepperdine then went on a 9-0 run to edge ahead 27-26.

The contest would stay close the rest of the way and two free throws and a three-pointer from freshman guard Vasa Pusica pushed USD ahead again at 39-36 with 7:09 to go in the contest. Pepperdine's David Jespersen answered with his own three, but Dee followed with a bucket for USD last lead at 41-39 with 6:34 left.

Back-to-back tip-ins from Lamond Murray put Pepperdine up 43-41, but Brandon Perry scored inside to tie the score at 43-all with 3:35 to go. Perry would add two more buckets inside with his last coming with 45 seconds to go that pulled USD to within 48-47. After the Toreros got a stop at the Pepperdine end of the floor, Dee's jumper with six seconds left was off the mark and Pusica's attempt at the put-back just missed. USD fouled Shawn Olden who canned two free throws with two seconds to go for the final score. USD did get one desperation look from Dee just past the half-court line, but was just off the left a bit.

USD out-rebounded Pepperdine 38-31, but Pepperdine converted 48% from the field in the final twenty minutes, while USD made just 9-28 (32.1%). For the game USD shot 31.7% while Pepperdine finished with a mark of 41.9%.

Former Torero Scott Thompson (1983-87), who entered the WCC Hall of Honor at a morning reception, was also recognized at halftime along with former USD head coach Jim Brovelli who was USF's honoree.