MALIBU - The Pepperdine men's basketball team invites Cal State Fullerton and UC San Diego to Firestone Fieldhouse this week for Wednesday and Saturday matchups.
 
GAME #11: Pepperdine (4-6) vs CSU Fullerton (4-4) | Dec. 6 | Malibu, Calif. | 7 p.m.
 
GAME #12: Pepperdine (4-6) vs UC San Diego (4-4) | Dec. 9 | Malibu, Calif. | 6 p.m.
 
PROMOS - The first 100 students in the doors will receive a replica jersey for Wednesday's game, and Saturday's contest will serve as the annual Willie's Winter Wishlist game where students can win anything from electric scooters to paddleboards and even a TV.

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COVERAGE - Pepperdine Hall of Famer Al Epstein continues his streak of 1,170 & 1,171-straight men's basketball broadcasts as he enters his 39th season on the call. Joining him this season will be veteran Waves hoops staffer John Impelman, who begins his broadcast career in the color commentary seat.
 
LAST TIME OUT - The Waves played two different halves of basketball in their most recent game at Colorado, but couldn't overcome the first half deficit for a 91-66 final. Mallette and Ajayi again led Pepperdine, but Jalen Pitre and Nils Cooper provided sparks defensively to keep the Buffs slightly reigned in through the latter period.
 
MALLETTE WATCH – Junior guard Houston Mallette accrued his 1,000th point in the Waves' win over Idaho State and he currently averages 18.1 points per game- good for T-1st in the WCC and T-8th in the nation for total points.
 
AJAYI ON THE DOUBLE - Junior college transfer Michael Ajayi has accrued six double-doubles through the first 10 games of the season, averaging 18.1 points and 10.4 boards per contest (2nd in the nation in double-doubles and T-8th in total points, 1st in the WCC in scoring and rebounding).
 
ON THE TITANS - Of CSUF's four wins this season, two have come over fellow Division I schools Southern Miss and North Dakota, but its losses have come by quality opponents in No. 17 San Diego State, UCF. Cornell and Nebraska. Guard Max Jones leads the Titans in scoring with 17.5 points per game on a .341 three-point clip. Dominic Brewton follows suit with 12.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and a 40.2% field goal record.
 
Last season against CSUF, the Waves had three chances in the final minute of the game to tie or take the lead, but unfortunately couldn't get any of them to fall in a 74-71 defeat at Cal State Fullerton. Max Lewis and Jevon Porter led Pepperdine with 15 and 12 points respectively, as Porter also pulled down 10 boards in his first double-double of the 2022-23 season.
 
ON THE TRITONS - In their first year in the Big West Conference, the Tritons have accrued a 4-4 record so far with wins over Denver, Navy and fellow WCC foe San Diego. Most recently, UCSD traveled to
Washington and played host to San Diego State- the latter coming down to the final moments of regulation, seeing the Tritons hold the lead with :38 seconds in the game but were thwarted by an Aztec putback at the buzzer. Guard Bryce Pope leads UCSD with 18.5 points per contest and 4.3 boards. He is followed by Francis Nwaokorie with 14.8 points on a 46% field goal average.