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MALIBU, California " Third-ranked Gonzaga played like it wants to be the number one team in the country come Monday, and the short-handed Pepperdine men's basketball team was the unlucky recipient of a 96-49 loss in West Coast Conference play on Saturday night.

The last unbeaten team in all of Division I, Gonzaga (22-0, 10-0) is expected to rise to top spot in the next set of national polls. The Waves fell to 6-16, 2-8 in the WCC.

Gonzaga utilized its size and strength from the start. The Bulldogs scored the game's first six points and led by double-digits for the final 33 1/2 minutes. It was 43-21 at halftime.

Three Waves scored in double-figures, led by senior guard Jeremy Major (Pasadena, Calif./Maranatha HS), who had 13 points. Senior guard Lamond Murray Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS) had his string of six straight 20+ performances end with a 12-point night. Senior forward Chris Reyes (La Verne, Calif./Damien HS/Utah) added 11 points. The next highest-scoring Wave had four points.

Gonzaga had four players in double-figures, led by Przemek Karnowski's 16 points, and nine Bulldogs scored at least five points.

The Bulldogs outshot the Waves 58.6% to 30.2%, made five three-pointers to Pepperdine's one, had a 44-32 rebounding edge, blocked eight shots and had nine turnovers to the Waves' 13.

"Gonzaga set the tone early tonight," Pepperdine Coach Marty Wilson said. "And this is something that they have done to a lot of teams all year. They pounded the ball inside and made easy opportunities for themselves. They are a matchup problem for most teams in the country with their size and physicality."

Because of injuries, Pepperdine once again played with only nine scholarship players while dressing 12. Senior point guard Amadi Udenyi (Achilles tendon), sophomore forward Kameron Edwards (jaw) " both expected starters -- and freshman guard Kaijae Yee-Stephens (ankle) all remain out.

The Waves next head out on the road to face San Francisco on Thursday (Feb. 2) at 7 p.m., then return home next Saturday (Feb. 4) to host Pacific at 5 p.m. Both games will be shown on TheW.tv, and both games will have audio-only WaveCasts at PepperdineWaves.com with Al Epstein on the call.