Pepperdine University
Central Michigan
Men's Hoops Suffers First Loss to Central Michigan
11/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CEDAR PARK, Texas -- Turnovers and three-pointers were the difference as the Pepperdine men's basketball team lost its first game of the Lone Star Showcase, 88-77, to Central Michigan on Monday night at the H-E-B Center.
The Waves (3-1) suffered their first loss of the season after committing a season-high 20 turnovers, leading to a 23-12 advantage in points off turnovers for the Chippewas (4-0). CMU also made 13 of 29 three-pointers on the night.
Two of the top five scorers in the country -- both averaging around 28 points per game coming in -- went up against each other. CMU junior guard Marcus Keene finished with 36 points (22 in the first half), while Pepperdine senior guard Lamond Murray Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS) ended up with 25 points. Murray has had at least 23 points in each of the four games this season.
Senior guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS) had a season-high 16 points and made four of Pepperdine's six three-pointers on the night. Senior forward Chris Reyes (La Verne, Calif./Damien HS./Utah) contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.
Coming home to play in front of family and friends for the first time in their college careers, freshmen guards Elijah Lee (Houston, Texas/HCYA Warriors) and Knox Hellums (Tomball, Texas/Concordia Lutheran HS) both established new highs of eight and six points, respectively.
Pepperdine shot 54.8% in the first half and led early, including its biggest lead of 25-20 at the midway point after a three-pointer by Major and a basket by Lee. But Central Michigan went into the break with a 40-37 lead behind Keene's outburst. There were eight ties and eight lead changes in the first half.
The Chippewas took command early in the second half with a 21-4 run, which included five three-pointers, to take a 61-43 advantage, and the Waves got no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Senior guard Amadi Udenyi (Oakland, Calif./De La Salle HS) had seven assists and sophomore center Nate Gehring (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee HS) had a career-high nine rebounds.
The Waves actually ended up outshooting the Chippewas 51.6% to 48.4% and had a 35-27 advantage on the boards.
The Waves continue the Lone Star Showcase on Tuesday against Little Rock at 5:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. CT, and they then conclude the event on Wednesday vs. St. Bonaventure at 3 p.m. PT/5 p.m. CT. There will be audio-only broadcasts via WaveCasts with Al Epstein on the call, and there will also be live video on the bd Global YouTube channel.
