Pepperdine battled for all 45 minutes in a 60-58 win Friday night over Nevada.
The Waves (5-3) continue to prove resilience in yet another come-from-behind victory, this time over the Wolf Pack of Nevada (4-6).
"We knew this was going to be a fight from the jump, and while we didn't start out the gates, it takes character to keep chipping away one play at a time," Head coach
Katie Faulkner said. "We're having fun coaching this team!"
BIG WAVES
Freshman
Chloe Sotell (Samford, Conn.) sank five baskets tonight, all in the second half, including two crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Waves the lead.
Senior
Ella Brubaker (University Place, Wash.) shot .583, tallying 20 points and coming up just short of a double-double with nine rebounds.
Senior
Helena Friend (Huntington Beach, Calif.) stepped up when her name was called, grabbing seven crucial rebounds and going two-for-three from the field in addition to a perfect 1.0 from the charity line.
KEY STATS
Despite being outscored 12-2 on turnovers at half, the Waves ended with the advantage over the Wolf Pack 21-19.
Pepperdine shott with purpose, outshooting Nevada from the field .410 to .300 with 19 less shots taken overall.
The Waves found rhythm in transition in the second half, scoring 11 on fast breaks while denying the Wolf Pack any fast break opportunities.
RECAP
It was a tale of two halves for the Waves. Nothing was working for Pepperdine through the first quarter. With only 12 points to show through the first ten minutes, the Waves were down five after one quarter.
The Waves were not gaining any ground through the second quarter and although Pepperdine stayed even with the Wolf Pack in rebounds, turnovers proved to be the catalyst.
Brubaker and graduate
Ornela Muca (Athens, Greece) had 17 of the Waves' 23 points at half with Nevada leading by 10 after two quarters.
The beginning of the third started similarly to the first half for the Waves. WIth 6:27 left in the quarter, Pepperdine was down 15. But despite what the scoreboard showed, the Waves have proved time and time again this season to never count them out.
Friend started the 13-point run, grabbing a defensive rebound to kickstart the offense. Sotell and senior
Makena Mastora (Alameda, Calif.) combined for the next 10 points in the game over five minutes. Senior
Maggie Vick (Morristown, Tenn.) ended the quarter with her own steal, feeding Friend for a crucial three points to eviscerate Nevada's once-comfortable lead, bringing the game down to two with Pepperdine trailing just 38-40.
The final quarter started out quiet from both sides. One free throw would make up the only offensive action for the first five minutes of the fourth for either squad. Flipping the switch and threatening Nevada's lead, Brubaker had a putback right under the five minute mark and made it a one-point game.
Taking the game into her own hands, Sotell scored two back-to-back threes for Pepperdine's first lead since 4:48 in the first quarter and the largest of the entire night.
Closing out the fourth quarter, Pepperdine ran into foul trouble, giving Nevada the breath of life needed to tie the game up. With five seconds left, the Wolf Pack hit a three to tie the game 50-50, sending the Waves to overtime for the second time this season.
Overtime saw Pepperdine go down four early. Not phased by the deficit, the Waves stuck to the plan, capitalizing on Nevada's mistakes and controlling their own destiny by rebounding and cashing in on free throws. Brubaker hit a crucial three, giving Pepperdine the lead for the first time in extra minutes with just over one left to play. Matching Nevada's next shot with a layup of her own and sinking her final two free throws, the Washington native scored Pepperdine's final seven points, good for the 60-58 victory.
Securing the overtime win, Pepperdine moves to 5-3 on the season, including 3-0 at home. The last time the Waves won two overtime games in one season was five years ago, with wins over Santa Clara and Saint Mary's in the 2019-2020 season.
The next time the Waves are at home will be in conference play as they welcome Santa Clara December 21.
UP NEXT
Pepperdine goes on the road for the final game before West Coast Conference play begins. The Waves play the Lobos of New Mexico Sunday, December 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
