Pepperdine University
Cal State Northridge
Murray, Defense Lead Waves to 70-55 Win at CSUN
12/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Lamond Murray Jr. scored 21 points and the Pepperdine men's basketball team hounded Cal State Northridge into 22 turnovers en route to a 70-55 victory for the Waves on Saturday night at The Matadome.
Pepperdine (4-4) enjoyed a 25-6 edge in points off turnovers over CSUN (2-6). A big difference in the game was a 17-0 run by the Waves that spanned the end of the first half and the beginning of the second.
Murray (Los Angeles, Calif,/Bishop Montgomery HS), a junior guard, was the only Wave to score in double-figures. He made 10 of 17 shots and also had a team-high five rebounds. It was his third 20-point game of the season.
Junior guard Amadi Udenyi (Oakland, Calif./De La Salle HS/St. Thomas More) had nine points and five assists, freshman forward Kameron Edwards (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda HS) contributed nine points and senior forward Stacy Davis (Laveen, Ariz./Fairfax HS) added eight points.
CSUN's only lead of the game came at 2-0. At 20-20, the Waves went on a 12-2 run to take a 32-22 lead, capped off by a Murray jumper with six minutes left. However, the Matadors rallied with 10 straight points to tie the game at 32.
But, the Waves scored the final eight points of the first half over the last two-plus minutes. Udenyi had two assists and two baskets, including a drive to the basket for a lay-up with just a couple of seconds left, sending the Waves into the break with a 40-32 lead.
The Waves' extended the Matadors' drought to more than six minutes without a point and scored the first nine points of the second half, making the score 49-32. Pepperdine maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way -- CSUN got no closer than 12 points -- and the Waves' biggest lead of 20 points came at 68-48 after a Murray three-point play.
Pepperdine committed only 10 turnovers and outshot CSUN 43.3% to 40.4%. The 22 turnovers forced were a season best.
The Waves won in Northridge for the first time since 1995 and had lost in their last four trips there. It was Pepperdine's first true road win of the season in its third attempt.
Davis passed both Dick Skophammer and Mychel Thompson to climb into 14th place on the Waves' all-time scoring list.
Pepperdine next hosts Long Beach State on Wednesday (Dec. 9) at 7 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans can watch the game via WaveCasts on TheW.tv with Al Epstein on the call.
