Pepperdine University
Montana
Waves Come Close But Fall 71-70 at Montana
12/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MISSOULA, Montana -- The Pepperdine men's basketball team came so close to picking up a much-needed road win on Thursday night, but Montana held on for a 71-70 victory in Dahlberg Arena to close out non-conference play.
The Waves (4-8) overcame a 10-point deficit to lead 65-62 with 3 1/2 minutes left, but the Grizzlies (5-8) scored the next eight points, then held on in the final seconds.
Senior guard Lamond Murray Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS) picked up his first double-double of the season with team highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Chris Reyes (La Verne, Calif./Damien HS/Utah) had 12 points and eight rebounds while senior guard Jonathan Allen (Nashville, Tenn./Ravenwood HS) contributed a career-high 10 points (his previous best was three).
Pepperdine outshot Montana 52.0% to 43.4% overall, but some of the usual problems persisted, as the Grizzlies made 13 three-pointers on 24 attempts and the Waves committed 19 turnovers, including a few crucial ones down the stretch.
Montana went up 70-65 with two minutes left, and the Waves couldn't get on the board again until 42 seconds remained after freshman guard Elijah Lee (Houston, Texas/HCYA Warriors) stole the ball and made two free throws. A defensive stop then resulted in a shot-clock violation for the Grizzlies, and the Waves got the ball back with 11.1 seconds left and a chance to tie the game.
After advancing the ball to midcourt and calling a timeout with 6.7 seconds left, Pepperdine unfortunately turned the ball over. Montana's Ahmaad Rorie made one of two free throws to put the game out of reach at four points, though Lee sank a three-pointer as time expired.
Before Lee's three-pointer, the Waves had gone 5 1/2 minutes without making a field goal. Though they made seven free throws in that time, they committed five turnovers and missed two shots through that stretch.
Both Lee and senior guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS) finished with nine points, while freshman guard Knox Hellums (Tomball, Texas/Concordia Lutheran HS) had eight.
Pepperdine led midway through the first half thanks to a 7-0 run. Allen started it with a three-pointer, and then a putback by freshman forward Nolan Taylor (Keller, Texas/Keller HS) put the Waves in front 17-16. Two free throws by Reyes then made it 19-16. Pepperdine also led at 21-19 after a jumper by Murray.
Montana's Jack Lopez then hit back-to-back three-pointers to put Montana back in front, and later on the Grizzlies' Rorie scored the final six points of a 7-0 run to end the half, giving them a 37-29 advantage at the break.
Nine of Montana's 12 first-half field goals were three-pointers.
The Grizzlies scored the first basket of the second half to take their largest lead of 10 points at 39-29. But, a 9-0 Wave run that began with a Hellums three-pointer and ended with two Hellums free throws tied the game at 51 with 10:48 left.
Allen tied the game at 60 with a three-pointer with 5:34 to go (the last field goal until Lee's shot at the buzzer), and two free throws by sophomore center Nate Gehring (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee HS put the Waves back in front at 62-60 with 5:08 left. A free throw by Major made it 63-60 with 4:46 remaining.
But after two free throws by Lee with 3:16 left, the Grizzlies scored eight points on their next three posssessions.
The Waves played their fifth game since losing senior starting point guard Amadi Udenyi (Oakland, Calif./De La Salle HS) for the season to a torn Achilles tendon. Sophomore forward Kameron Edwards (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda HS) is also out with a fractured jaw, meaning the Waves are without two expected starters.
Pepperdine has dropped the first four in a stretch of six straight games on the road. After Christmas, the Waves will play at Gonzaga (Thursday, December 29, 6 p.m.) and Portland (Saturday, December 31, 5 p.m.). Fans can listen in via WaveCasts at PepperdineWaves.com with Al Epstein on the call, or watch on TheW.tv.
