SANTA CLARA, California – The Pepperdine women's basketball team returned to the court after a 26-day layoff, but Santa Clara proved to be too much in the WCC opener for both teams as the Waves fell 74-64 on Thursday. Pepperdine was paced by 13 points from Kendyl Carson.
 
Pepperdine (4-6, 0-1 WCC) was outscored 21-9 in the second quarter by Santa Clara (7-4, 1-0), but responded by outscoring the Broncos 23-14 in the third frame. In the critical fourth quarter, Santa Clara scored 22 points to the Waves' 11 points.
 
BIG WAVES
 

• Kendyl Carson (Juneau, Alaska/Juneau Douglas HS) tallied a season-high 13 points to go along with seven assists and four rebounds.
• Eve Braslis (Newton, Victoria, Australia) added 11 points.
• Ally Stedman (Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle HS) recorded 10 points.
• Malia Bambrick (Santa Clarita, Calif./Bishop Alemany HS) stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds and two assists.
• Jayla Ruffus-Milner (North Hills, Calif./Harvard-Westlake HS) earned eight points and seven rebounds to go along with a block.
• Helena Friend (Huntington Beach, Calif./Blair Academy) netted a career-high eight points.

GAME RECAP
 
Santa Clara opened the scoring with a three, but Pepperdine responded with baskets by Meaali'i Amosa (Garden Grove, Calif./Mater Dei HS). Braslis and Stedman took an early 6-3 lead. Both defenses held strong in the first five minutes, and after a Bronco basket, Bambrick answered with a jumper to give Pepperdine another three-point cushion at 8-5. Santa Clara responded with an 8-0 run before a Carson three-pointer drew the Waves closer. After Santa Clara took a 15-10 lead, Pepperdine scored the next eight punctuated by a pair of Friend three-pointers. Santa Clara then scored two free throws before Braslis added a three to beat the buzzer and send Pepperdine to the second quarter in front, 21-17.
 
Much like the first, the Broncos opened the scoring in the second with a three. After Pepperdine took a 23-20 lead, Santa Clara scored the next five before Stedman drilled a three to regain the lead at 26-25. The teams traded baskets before the media timeout, which saw Santa Clara take a 32-28 lead. Both teams struggled to score out of the media timeout before a Bronco jumper grew their lead to the biggest of the night at 34-28. Santa Clara ended the half by scoring the last four to take a 38-30 lead into the break.
 
After Santa Clara opened up a 42-32 lead to start the second half, Pepperdine answered with a 7-0 run thanks to a Braslis layup following a forced turnover. Amosa brought the Waves within two at 44-42 following a basket plus the foul. The Broncos didn't allow Pepperdine to tie it up, going on a 5-0 run to grow the lead to seven once again at 49-42. The Waves did not go away, gaining momentum to piece together another 7-0 run and tie the game at 49 after Friend's second triple of the night. Following two free throws by Carson, Pepperdine took a 53-52 lead into the fourth.
 
The Broncos reclaimed the lead at the start of the fourth following a three-pointer, but Ruffus-Milner tied it up at 57 with two successful free throws. Santa Clara took a 62-57 lead but Ruffus-Milner answered right back with a bucket. After Santa Clara took another five-point lead, Stedman hit a three to bring Pepperdine within two at 64-62. The Waves were unable to get closer than two as Santa Clara ended the game on an 8-0 run and escaped with the 10-point win.
 
STATS

• Santa Clara outshot Pepperdine 42.7% to 39.3%.
• The Broncos outrebounded the Waves 39-35, but each team had 10 offensive rebounds.
• Santa Clara tallied seven blocks to the Waves' one block.
• Pepperdine had 13 assists, while the Broncos recorded 15.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Waves will stay in Northern California and visit Saint Mary's on Saturday, January 15. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. and will be streamed live on the WCC Network.