NASSAU, Bahamas – Colbey Ross scored 23 points and the Pepperdine men's basketball team put together an excellent defensive effort as the Waves advanced to the semifinals of the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase with a 74-65 first-round win over Towson on Friday night.
The Waves (2-1) forced 25 turnovers, drawing numerous charges, and held the Tigers (1-2) to 39.3% shooting. Though three of the veteran Waves fouled out during the second half, Pepperdine held on for the win with some excellent free throw shooting.
BIG WAVES
- Sophomore guard Colbey Ross (Aurora, Colo./Eaglecrest HS) had a game-high 23 points, 19 of which came in the second half. He also had five assists and went 7-for-7 from the foul line. It was his ninth career 20-point game.
- Junior forward Kameron Edwards (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Etiwanda HS) made his 50th career start and scored 16 points, the bulk of which came at the end of the first half.
- Senior guard Eric Cooper Jr. (Ontario, Calif./St. Anthony HS/Nevada) scored 13 points.
KEY STATS
- The Waves outshot the Tigers 45.1% to 39.3%.
- Pepperdine was nearly flawless from the foul line, shooting 20-for-21 (17-for-18 in the second half).
- Pepperdine forced 15 turnovers in the first half and 10 more in the second half.
- The Waves survived a 39-24 rebounding deficit. Towson grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and had a 14-2 edge in second-chance points.
- Pepperdine made eight three-pointers to Towson's three.
- Towson had two players score in double-figures, Nakye Sanders and Brian Fobbs with 11 apiece.
PLAY BY PLAY
Towson scored the game's first seven points, and another 7-0 run made it a 10-point game at 16-6 just six minutes into the contest.
It was a nine-point game at 25-16 when the Waves came alive. A 9-0 run, with
Kameron Edwards scoring the final two baskets, tied the game at 25 with five minutes to go. Edwards later hit back-to-back three-pointers, putting Pepperdine in front for the first time at 33-29. He scored 12 of the Waves' final 14 points to close the half as the Waves went into the break with a 35-32 advantage.
The Waves never trailed in the second half, though Towson tied the score once at 42-42. The Waves responded with six straight points, however.
Around the midway point of the second half, Edwards, sophomore guard
Jade' Smith (Oakland, Calif./St. Joseph Notre Dame HS) and junior forward
Darnell Dunn (Kinston, N.C./Kinston HS/Miami Dade JC) all picked up their fourth foul. But freshman guard
Darryl Polk Jr. (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly HS) drilled a three-pointer, Ross made a three-point play and freshman center
Jackson Stormo (Santa Barbara, Calif./San Marcos HS) sank two free throws to give the Waves their first double-digit lead at 56-45 with 8 1/2 minutes left.
Pepperdine's biggest lead was 13 at 61-48 with under seven minutes to play after Cooper made three free throws. Towson chipped away, but didn't get any closer than five points, despite the fact that the three Waves in foul trouble all fouled out down the stretch. At 65-60, Ross responded with a basket in the paint and a three-pointer for a personal 5-1 run, putting the game out of reach in the final minute.
QUOTABLE
Pepperdine Coach
Lorenzo Romar said: "Resiliency. We needed it out here in the Bahamas, away from our home. Our guys stayed together. We got in foul trouble, like we did in Northern Colorado, but we stayed together and ended up pulling it out. We did not shoot the ball very well in the beginning at all, we were a little sluggish, and we overcame that with intensity and togetherness. Now we'll see if we can get into the championship tomorrow."
NOTABLES
- The Waves left Malibu with the Pepperdine campus under distress from the Woolsey Fire. Fans can support Pepperdine students who have been affected or displaced by visiting impact.pepperdine.edu/crisisresponse and making a donation.
UP NEXT
The Waves will play Georgia Southern in the semifinals on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Al Epstein will have the call on WaveCasts.
