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Pepperdine-Gonzaga Box Score

MALIBU, Calif. " Stacy Davis scored a game-high 26 points and the Pepperdine men's basketball team put together a spirited effort in front of a sellout crowd, but still couldn't solve Gonzaga in a 69-66 West Coast Conference home loss on Saturday night.

The Waves dropped to 14-10 and 7-6 overall while the Bulldogs (19-5, 11-2) remained in first place in the conference.

Pepperdine ended up outshooting Gonzaga 43.6% to 43.1% and made more three-pointers (seven to four) but a big difference came at the free throw line, where the Waves were 11-for-17 (64.7%) " an improvement from Thursday's loss to Portland " while the Bulldogs were a near-perfect 21-for-23 (91.3%).

Coming off a season-high 27 points against Portland, Davis (Laveen, Ariz./Fairfax HS) recorded the first back-to-back 25+ point games of his career (and he's done it in three of the last four games). The senior forward made eight of 10 shots and connected on a career-high five three-pointers on six attempts, while also making five of six free throws. He also pulled down a team-best seven rebounds. Unfortunately, foul trouble limited him to 12 second-half minutes.

Davis moved into fourth place on the Waves' all-time scoring list (and needs just 34 more to become the school's career leader). He also tied Doug Christie for 10th on the all-time blocked shot chart.

The only other Wave to score in double-figures was junior guard Lamond Murray Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS), who recorded 15 points. Senior forward Jett Raines (Coppell, Texas/Coppell HS) fouled out with eight points and saw his 10-game streak in double-figures end.

Gonzaga scored the first nine points of the game, but Pepperdine countered with a 14-point run. Still, the Bulldogs went into halftime with a 34-26 advantage.

After falling behind by as many as 13 points early in the second half, the Waves made a game of it late. They closed to within three points at 54-51 with 8 1/2 minutes left after a turnover led to a huge dunk by freshman forward Kameron Edwards (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda HS). The Waves had a shot to cut it to a one-point game but missed.

A Davis three-pointer made it a four-point game at 61-57 with 4:12 left, but Gonzaga would go up by eight at 65-57 with 2:27 to play.

The Waves scored the next six points, however. Davis made two free throws with 1:59 left, and Murray hit jumpers with 1:14 to go and 25 seconds left, cutting the deficit to two points at 65-63.

The Waves were forced to foul and Gonzaga's Kyle Dranginis made two free throws with 18.9 seconds left. The Waves missed on a three-point attempt, and a Bulldog fast-break led to a dunk and a six-point lead with six seconds left. Davis closed out the scoring with a three-pointer with a couple of seconds left.

The Bulldogs' Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points (including 12-for-12 from the line) and 11 rebounds, while Kyle Wiltjer had 17 points.

Junior guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS) had six assists, moving him ahead of head coach Marty Wilson and into ninth place on the Waves' all-time assist list.

Pepperdine heads out on the road next weekend to face Saint Mary's (Thursday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.) and Pacific (Saturday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.). Both games will be available locally on TheW.tv. Pepperdine Hall of Famer Al Epstein will also have the call on WaveCasts at PepperdineSports.com.