Pepperdine-California Baptist Box Score 
MALIBU, Calif. - Despite 22 points from junior forward Mychel Thompson and 21 from sophomore guard Keion Bell, the Pepperdine men's basketball team was upset by California Baptist of the NAIA, 67-65, in Firestone Fieldhouse on Thursday night.
Due to differences between NCAA and NAIA rules, Pepperdine (3-7) was playing this as an official game, while California Baptist was considering it an exhibition.
After a short jumper by Bell gave Pepperdine a 65-64 lead with 20 seconds remaining, CBU's Larry Dew threw a lob pass to Davey Hopkins, who laid the ball in with 8.2 seconds left. The Waves turned the ball over on the next possession, and the Lancers' Cesar Menjivar hit one of two free throws with 2.3 seconds left. A three-quarters-court heave by Pepperdine failed to connect at the buzzer.
Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) had a season high for points, and he also hit four three-pointers and collected seven rebounds. Bell (Los Angeles, Calif./Pasadena HS) scored 20-plus points for the eighth time in 10 games.
After Thompson and Bell, no one else from Pepperdine had more than seven points. Dew led the Lancers with 20 points.
The Waves got off to a forgettable start, missing their first two shots and committing six turnovers in the first five minutes as CBU broke out to a 12-0 lead.
Thompson began a 6-0 run with a three-pointer that cut the Lancers' lead to 16-12 with less than nine minutes to go in the half. Later, Bell had a 6-0 run all by himself, and his last basket tied the game at 22-22 with 2:48 left. Still, the Lancers went into the break with a 28-26 advantage.
The Waves scored the first six points of the second half and took their first lead of the game at 30-28 on a short jumper from the left baseline by sophomore guard Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS).
The Waves couldn't shake the Lancers, however, as it was still a two-point game at 53-51 with 6 1/2 minutes to play. A 7-0 run helped Pepperdine to its largest lead at 60-51 with less than four minutes left. It was still a seven-point lead at 63-56 with 2 1/2 minutes to go when CBU began its rally. The Lancers scored 11 of the game's final 13 points.
Although Pepperdine had a rebounding advantage of 38-29, CBU hit more three-pointers (11 to four) and outscored the Waves in points off turnovers 17-8.
Sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep), the Waves' second-leading scorer, sat out the game with a sprained ankle.
The Waves continue their four-game homestand this Sunday (Dec. 13) against Portland State at 2 p.m. Fans can watch the game and listen to Al Epstein's broadcast at www.pepperdinesports.com with a subscription to Wave Casts.
