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Pepperdine-IUPUI Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. - The Pepperdine men's basketball team found itself down by two in the closing seconds for the second straight game, and unfortunately the end result was the same as the Waves closed out the Gotham Classic and non-conference play with a 55-53 home loss to IUPUI on Saturday afternoon.

The Jaguars (4-9) made one of two free throws with 8.5 seconds left, giving the Waves (7-4) a chance to win or send the game to overtime. Sophomore guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS) brought the ball up and attempted a three-pointer from the right wing, but it was off the mark. The rebound went to freshman guard Shawn Olden (Tulsa, Okla./Union HS) near the free throw line, but he had to rush his attempt before the buzzer sounded and it fell short.

Pepperdine shot 36.5% for the game and suffered several scoring droughts, none worse than one that lasted eight minutes during the second half and saw a 35-32 lead become a 42-35 deficit with a little more than eight minutes to go after an 8-0 Jaguar run.

The Waves wouldn't lead again, but they would get the deficit down to one point on several occasions. After the first two, IUPUI responded immediately with easy lay-ups. On the third, an offensive foul gave the Jaguars the ball and they hit a jumper to make it 52-49 with 1:41 to play.

Both teams missed a couple of shots, and IUPUI made it a four-point game with 35 seconds left after a free throw. Major hit one of two free throws with 26.5 seconds remaining, and later on IUPUI made one of two free throws again with 14 seconds left.

Major nailed a three-pointer with 9.4 seconds left, cutting the deficit to one at 54-53. IUPUI's Khufu Najee missed his first foul shot but made his second with 8.5 seconds remaining to set up the final possession.

Olden had team highs of 15 points and four assists. Major scored 14 points, while junior forward Stacy Davis (Laveen, Ariz./Fairfax HS) had his third double-double in the last four games and his fourth of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Jett Raines (Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS) had eight points and eight rebounds.

In the first half, Pepperdine shot 47.8% to IUPUI's 33.3%, but the Jaguars had a 28-27 lead at the break. Three times, Pepperdine had periods of greater than 3 1/2 minutes without scoring, and IUPUI had a pair of 8-0 runs in the first half.

The percentages flipped in the second half as the Waves fell to 27.6% and the Jaguars rose to 45.8%. IUPUI finished at 38.9% for the game. Thirty-five of the Jaguars' 55 points came from the bench, including a career-high 16 points from DavRon Williams.

Pepperdine finished the Gotham Classic with a 2-2 record. After beating South Alabama and Howard at home, the Waves lost 65-63 to Richmond at Madison Square Garden last Saturday. Pepperdine had a shot to tie the game in the final seconds but missed in that one as well.

It was the Waves' first home loss after five victories.

Pepperdine begins West Coast Conference play on Monday (Dec. 29) at rival Loyola Marymount at 6 p.m. The Wells Fargo PCH Cup game will be televised locally by Time Warner Cable SportsNet, and fans can also listen to the game online via WaveCasts at PepperdineSports.com.