Pepperdine-Pacific Box Score 
MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine men's basketball team made a spirited comeback to send its season opener into overtime, but Pacific eventually prevailed, 67-64, in double OT at Firestone Fieldhouse on Friday night.
The Waves (0-1) trailed by 10 with a little more than four minutes to play in regulation, but scored 10 of the half's final 12 points, including a tip-in by junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) with 4.7 seconds left, to even things up.
Pepperdine was hurt when sophomore guard Keion Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) fouled out with 2:59 left in the first overtime period. He finished with game highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds, good for his fifth career double-double. He scored 13 of his points in the final eight minutes of regulation, including a spectacular dunk and ensuing free throw with 1:24 left that pulled Pepperdine within two points.
The Tigers (1-0) took a 60-57 lead with a little more than a minute left in the first overtime, but sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep) drained a three-pointer from the left baseline to tie it up at 60-60 with 51.9 seconds left. Both teams then missed their final chances of the period.
In the second overtime, Pepperdine took a couple of two-point leads, the last coming at 1:34 left at 64-62 on a fourth-chance opportunity when junior forward Gus Clardy (Nagocdoches, Texas/Nacogdoches HS) got an offensive rebound and a putback.
But the Tigers got driving lay-ups by Pat Eveland with 1:15 left and Lavar Neufville with 27.5 seconds left, putting Pacific back in front at 66-64. After a Waves' miss, Neufville hit one of two free throws with 11 seconds remaining. Pepperdine had a chance to tie it again and send the game to a third overtime, but couldn't get a three-point shot off before the buzzer.
Suttle scored 13 points and hit five of seven shots. Pacific was led by 14 points from Terrell Smith, 13 points from Sam Willard and 11 points from Joe Ford.
Both teams were harmed by their free throw shooting. Pepperdine went 19-for-33 (57.6%) while Pacific was 9-for-21 (42.9%).
The Tigers' biggest lead was 13 points at 35-22 in the second half. Pepperdine never led in regulation and never led by more than two points in overtime.
Pepperdine has two more contests at Firestone Fieldhouse coming up as part of its three-game homestand to start the season. The Waves host Long Beach State on Tuesday (Nov. 17) and Cal State San Bernardino on Friday (Nov. 20). Both games are at 7 p.m. Fans that can't make the game can watch on-line and listen to Al Epstein's broadcast at www.pepperdinesports.com with a subscription to Wave Casts.
