MALIBU, Calif. — Making its return to Firestone Fieldhouse after two weeks on the road, the Pepperdine women's basketball team fell 82-49 against the defending West Coast Conference Champions on Thursday night.

The Waves (5-14, 1-5 WCC) and the Pilots (12-8, 4-2 WCC) kept things close early, yet Portland's defense and a decisive second-quarter run was the difference. Two Waves finished in double figures, as Holly Griffiths (Melbourne, Australia/Our Lady of Mercy College) had a career-high 14 points off and Helena Friend (Huntington Beach, Calif./Blair Academy) chipped in 11 points of her own after making her fourth-straight start.

BIG WAVES

• Holly Griffiths (Melbourne, Australia/Our Lady of Mercy College) led Pepperdine with a career-high 14 points (on 6-for-13 shooting), five rebounds and a steal.

• Helena Friend (Huntington Beach, Calif./Blair Academy) added 11 points and tied her career high with four steals.

• Megan Harkey (Summerfield, N.C./Northwest Guilford HS) chipped in six points, two rebounds and an assist off the bench.

• Emerita Mashaire (Helsinki, Finland/HBA Marksy)  added six points, three rebounds and an assist for Pepperdine.

Taking on Portland's stingy, rim-protecting defense, the Waves scored their first 12 points in the paint thanks to fast starts from their frontcourt. Both teams traded baskets early and Griffiths got off to a good start for the Waves with six first-quarter points.

Pepperdine cut the deficit to 12 with a layup from Friend, yet the Pilots ripped off an 11-0 run midway through the second quarter. The Waves' offense, meanwhile, went cold for four minutes until a layup from Jane Nwaba (Carson, Calif. Palisades Charter HS) with 3 minutes and 57 seconds to go got the Waves going. Three late points from Friend made it a 46-23 game going into the locker room.

In the third quarter, the Waves' defense improved, holding Portland scoreless for the first three-and-a-half minutes while forcing five straight turnovers with its zone. However, a low-scoring third quarter prevented Pepperdine from getting back into the game. Addi Melone (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial HS) made a three and Harkey hit back-to-back short corner jumpers to start the final frame, but Portland extended its lead once more with a 9-0 run midway through the fourth quarter. The Pilots led by as many as 38 in the fourth before Griffiths and Mashaire made three field goals late in the game.

UP NEXT: The Waves make the short trip to LMU to take on the Lions this Saturday at 2 p.m. for this year's second iteration of the PCH Cup.