Box Score

USD vs PEP Box Feb 11

SAN DIEGO â€" The USD Toreros battled to the end against the Pepperdine Waves but came up short in a tough 65-60 home loss. Junior forward Cameron Neubauer tallied a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Brett Bailey added a team-high 15 points to go with 9 boards, but it wasn't enough. Pepperdine was paced by forward Lamond Murray Jr. with a game-high 17 points.

In the first half the Toreros made three of their first five three-point attempts in taking a 12-11 lead against the Waves. The three balls came from Cameron Neubauer, Olin Carter III and Brett Bailey. A Frank Ryder jump hook would give the Toreros a 14-11 edge at the 13:30 mark. A second three by Carter would push the lead to 17-13, but the Waves would then go on a 14-0 run to go up 27-17. Juwan Gray would snap a six minute scoreless run by making the first of two free throws with 5:16 left. Neubauer would add a bucket before the Waves would to on another run, this time 8-0 in taking a 35-20 lead.

The visiting Waves would head into the halftime break with a 40-27 advantage. Lamond Murray, Jr., the WCC's leading scorer, would net 11 points in the opening half. Pepperdine made 16-of-25 shots (64.0%) and 4-of-8 three-pointers. San Diego was paced by Olin Carter III with nine points followed by Brett Bailey with eight. Five of USD's nine first half baskets came from beyond the arc.

USD (11-15, 4-10 WCC) opened the second half with a 5-0 run to pull within 40-32, but Jonathan Allen answered with a trey at the 18:05 mark. An old-fashioned three-point play from Brett Bailey and three from long range by Carter would get USD within 43-39. Following a Murray bucket, Mark Carbone would bury a three to make it 45-42, but Jonathan Allen would match his three from the right corner for Pepperdine. A Chris Reyes bucket would give Pepperdine a 50-44 lead heading into the final ten minutes of action, and four minutes later the score would only change by one point, 51-45 in favor of the Waves.

Jeremy Major connected on a big three with 3:33 to go that put the visitor's up 56-47, and the Waves would lead by as many as 12 at 60-48 with 2:02 to go. USD scratched and clawed down the stretch getting to within five points twice, the last time at 63-58 with 21 seconds to go. Murray would add two free throws and Juwan Gray would close out the scoring with a bucket in the closing seconds.

For the game Pepperdine (9-17, 5-9 WCC) shot 50.0% overall and buried 7-of-15 three-pointers. USD struggled in the shooting department, but did come out ahead in rebounds, 37-33. Olin Carter III joined Bailey and Neubauer in double-digits with 12 points.

USD hits the road for two games next week with stops at BYU (Thur., Feb. 16, 8 pm PT) and Santa Clara (Sat., Feb. 18, 8 pm).