CORVALLIS, Ore. – The Pepperdine men's basketball team experienced second half shooting woes in the Pacific Northwest Thursday night as the Waves fell to Oregon State 83-63.
BIG WAVES
- Stefan Todorovic (Belgrade, Serbia/SMU/USF) again led the Waves with 19 points, seven boards, three assists and a steal.
- Dovydas Butka (Panevezys, Lithuania) followed with 14 points on 50% field goal shooting while gathering three rebounds and a steal.
- Boubacar Coulibaly (Bamako, Mali/USC) recorded six points nine boards and two blocks on the night.
- Moe Odum (The Bronx, N.Y./Pacific) scored only five points but tacked on 11 assists– his third double-digit assist outing of the season.
KEY STATS
- OSU outshot Pepperdine 61% to 43% from the field and 55% to 32% from beyond the arc.
- Both teams recorded equal numbers of turnovers (nine) and points off turnovers (six).
- The Beavers only outrebounded the Waves by five (30-25) but Pepperdine earned more offensive boards (11-8).
RECAP
Pepperdine opened the first half with energy, as Todorovic hit the game's first basket and contributed throughout. Butka and Coulibaly added strong finishes in the paint, while
Zion Bethea provided a spark with two timely three-pointers that kept the game close. Despite some momentum from fast-break plays and sharp shooting, the Waves struggled to contain the opposing offense and trailed by as many as nine points. A late layup by Todorovic helped narrow the gap, but the half ended with Pepperdine down 29-34, still within striking distance.
The Waves started the second half with a surge, Dozic and Butka scored quickly, and a three from the former briefly gave the team a two-point lead. Despite strong efforts, Pepperdine struggled to keep pace as the game progressed. Todorovic continued to lead with consistent scoring, while
Mike Saunders Jr. added a late three-pointer. Defensive lapses allowed the Beaver lead to balloon, however, resulting in an 83-63 final.
UP NEXT
The Waves return to Malibu for a Saturday showdown against Pacific at 7 p.m.
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