Pepperdine Comes Up Short Against Nebraska-Omaha

Thursday, December 1

Malibu, Calif.

7:00 p.m. PT

Pepperdine University

2-5,0-0WCC

Nebraska-Omaha

4-3,0-0Summit League

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Omaha	10	12	21	13	56
Pepperdine	15	10	12	14	51

Theresa Grace Mbanefo

Photo by: Morgan Davenport

12/1/2022 10:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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By: by Athletic Communications

MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine women's basketball team fell short, 56-51, to Nebraska-Omaha on Thursday night in Firestone Fieldhouse.

The Waves (2-5) tried to make a comeback in the fourth quarter on a 10-point scoring run, but were unable to secure the win over the Mavericks (4-3). Through four quarters, the lead changed three times and the two teams were also tied three times.

BIG WAVES

Graduate forward Theresa Grace Mbanefo (Otsego, Minn./Blaine HS/Cornell) double-dipped with 20 points,10 boards and a block. This was Mbanefo's first double-double in a Waves uniform.
Sophomore guard Ally Stedman (Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle HS) fell into form with 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Graduate point guard Marly Walls (Bardstown, Ky./Nelson County HS/Bucknell) was second on the team in rebounds with nine and tacked on seven points.

GAME RECAP

In the first quarter, the Waves and Mavericks traded baskets before Pepperdine went on a six-point scoring run to take an 8-2 lead. Following buckets by each team, Nebraska-Omaha scored five straight to tie the game at 10 each, but the Waves drained a three and a layup to earn a 15-10 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Mavericks made the first jumper of the second quarter, though the Waves answered with back-to-back shots to bring the advantage to a seven-point differential, 19-12. Nebraska-Omaha put up a layup and made two free throws to get within three at 23-20. Pepperdine then made two free throws, but Nebraska-Omaha earned two more free throws to head into half only down by three, 25-22.

Following the half, Pepperdine increased the lead back to five at 25-22 after a Meaali'i Amosa (Garden Grove, Calif./Mater Dei HS) layup. Nebraska-Omaha started to heat up and went on an eight-point scoring run to take the lead for the first time at 34-29. Mbanefo then scored five points to close the gap to one at 36-35. Seven consecutive points for the Mavericks gave them an eight-point advantage at 43-35. Stedman made two free throws at the end of the third quarter to get the score at 43-37.

In the final frame, Pepperdine and Nebraska-Omaha exchanged layups, although the Mavericks upped the lead at 49-40. The Waves started to make a comeback on a 10-point scoring run to regain the lead 50-49, but another five straight for the Mavericks gave them a four-point advantage. Nebraska-Omaha was fouled with less than 10 seconds to go and made two free throws to finish with the win.

STATS

The Waves out-shot the Mavericks 35% overall, compared to the opposition's 33%.
Nebraska-Omaha forced 28 Pepperdine turnovers.
Despite the Mavericks' size advantage inside, the Waves won the paint, going for 28 points (Omaha scored 26) and four blocks in comparison to the Mavericks' one.
Pepperdine out-rebounded Nebraska-Omaha 51 to 27.

UP NEXT

The Waves will stay in Malibu and host Portland State on Saturday, December 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on the WCC Network.