Waves and Gauchos Renew Rivalry on Saturday

PEPPERDINE VS. UC SANTA BARBARA
Date: Saturday, December 19, 2020
Site: Firestone Fieldhouse (Malibu, Calif.)
Time: 3 p.m.
TV: none
Video: WaveCasts on the WCC Network
Series: Pepperdine leads 38-35
Last Meeting: Gauchos 92, Waves 84 (11/20/2017 in Malibu)

PEPPERDINE WAVES
2020-21 Record: 4-3
   WCC Record: 0-0
   Home Record: 3-1
Head Coach: Lorenzo Romar
Website: www.PepperdineWaves.com
Twitter: @PeppBasketball

UC SANTA BARBARA GAUCHOS
2020-21 Record: 3-1
   Big West Record: 0-0
   Away Record: 0-1
Head Coach: Joe Pasternack
Website: www.UCSBGauchos.com
Twitter: @UCSBbasketball

WAVEPOINTS
• The Pepperdine and UC Santa Barbara men's basketball teams enjoyed a long non-conference rivalry over the years, but they've only played once in the last 12 seasons. Saturday afternoon will be the 74th meeting all-time.
• The Gauchos have won the last four matchups in the series.
• If Pepperdine isn't able to replace next week's canceled Tarleton game — the fourth game scratched by an opponent due to COVID-19 issues — then Saturday will be the non-conference finale.
• Colbey Ross is on the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy watch lists for National Player of the Year, as well as the Bob Cousy Award watch list for the nation's top point guard.
• Ross is Pepperdine's all-time leader in both points and assists, among many other school records. Among active Division I players, Ross ranks first in career assists (702) and free throws made (555) and is third in points (1,904). He's up to #6 on the WCC's all-time assist list and will soon pass Gonzaga's Josh Perkins (712).
• Kessler Edwards is the lone Wave to score in double-figures in all seven games and his lowest output of the season has been 17 points. He's up to a tie for seventh all-time in blocked shots at Pepperdine.
• Two scoring milestones are upcoming. Ross (1,902 points) will soon become the first player in program history to get to 2,000, while Edwards (925 points) will become the 44th player to get to 1,000.
• Jan Zidek has scored in double-figures in all five games in which he's played.
• Sedrick Altman is coming off his first game of the season scoring in double-figures, with 13 points vs. Concordia.
• Pepperdine is #4 in the country in free throw percentage (86.0%).
• The Waves were picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason coaches' poll.
• Ross and Edwards were named to the preseason All-WCC team (Pepperdine and Gonzaga were the only schools to put multiple players on the 10-man list).
• Lorenzo Romar is in his third season this time around at Pepperdine, his sixth season in all with the Waves over two stints, and his 24th season as a head coach.

WAVECASTS — The UC Santa Barbara game can be watched online via WaveCasts on the WCC Network. Veteran play-by-play man Al Epstein, a 2015 Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame inductee who is now in his 36th season, will be behind the microphone. This will be his 1,077th consecutive men's basketball broadcast for the Waves.

ATTENDANCE — Per the current COVID-19 guidelines set by the state of California and Los Angeles County, fans will not be permitted to attend home games in Firestone Fieldhouse.

PEPPERDINE — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and nine overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 25 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #49 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sedrick Altman

Kessler Edwards

Colbey Ross

Jan Zidek

Footer