The Pepperdine women's basketball team dropped the sole non-conference out of state matchup 59-82 against New Mexico Sunday.
Freshman
Chloe Sotell (Samford, Conn.) was the standout for the Waves (5-4), scoring a career-high 24 points, her fifth double-digit game this season.
Things stayed even after one quarter, but a 24-point performance by the Lobos (6-5) in the second would be insurmountable for the remainder of the game.
BIG WAVES
Outside of Sotell's 24 points, the freshman also dished out five assists, leading the team.
Senior
Malia Mastora (Alameda, Calif.) put up 12 points as the only other Wave in double digits on the afternoon.
KEY STATS
The Waves had limited second-chance opportunities with six offensive rebounds compared to the Lobo's sixteen.
Continuously proving the value of fresh legs, Pepperdine's bench outscored New Mexico's 33-30.
Pepperdine shot 8-12 in the fourth, including 5-7 from three.
RECAP
The game started with the Lobos and senior
Ella Brubaker (University Place, Wash.) trading layups. Just over five minutes in, Mastora hit a three for a total of seven points midway through the first quarter as she gave Pepperdine a 12-10 lead. Heading into the second, the Waves were locked with the Lobos 15-15.
New Mexico opened the second quarter and never looked back, going on a 14-3 run through the first six minutes. The Waves only made two from the field and mustered seven points in the quarter. By the end of the first half, Pepperdine trailed 22-39.
The Waves couldn't tame the Lobos as they shot 60 percent from the field as well as beyond the arc the entire third quarter. Carrying an eight-point performance into the second half, Sotell began her tear in the third, warming up from three. Pepperdine trailed 37-63 with one quarter remaining.
Shooting started to heat up for the Waves in the final minutes of the game. Sinking ⅔ of the shots put up, Pepperdine outscored New Mexico 22-19 to end the game. Half of those points came from the freshmen Sotell, who shot 4-6 from the field as well as 3-5 from three.
Despite finding offensive rhythm, time would run out for Pepperdine in a 59-82 loss.
UP NEXT
The Waves welcome Santa Clara to Firestone Fieldhouse to open West Coast Conference play Saturday, December 21. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m., the second half of a doubleheader after the men's basketball team takes on UC Davis at 12 p.m.
