MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine women's basketball (6-2) hosts the Golden Eagles of California State, Los Angeles (4-1) in a Saturday matinee game.
 
LAST TIME OUT

•  The Waves won their final nonconference away game at Fresno State by a score of  65-45.
•  Shorna Preston led the Waves with 16 points and her second double-double of the week, tacking on 12 boards. 
•  Following closely behind, Seleh Harmon finished with 14 points, going 4-9 from distance.

 
GAME NOTES
• Starting the season at 6-2, it is Pepperdine's best start in nearly two decades, not posting such a record since the 2006-07 season.  
• Through the nonconference slate, the Waves are second in 3-point FG percentage as well as first in defensive rebounds in the West Coast Conference.
• Nationally, the Waves are 31st in defensive rebounds and sit at 122 in the NET rankings, up over 100 from the end of last season.
• Elli Guiney, the sole sophomore on the Waves squad, has proven to be a difference maker seven games into the season.
• Ninth in the WCC in scoring, Guiney has scored double digits six times, setting three new career-highs and leading the Waves in five of eight games played.
• Freshman Seleh Harmon has come off the bench in all eight games, impacting the style of play greatly each time.
• In the West Coast Conference, Harmon is first in 3-point field goal percentage (.478), and 3 pointers per game with 2.8.
• Coming from Dodge City Community College, Shorna Preston from Australia is shining bright in the move to DI basketball.
• Leading the conference in rebounds, Preston is averaging 9.1 per game.
• Coming off a week with two double-doubles, Preston is looking to keep it rolling as the Waves close out conference play with three opponents over the next eight days.
• Being just one of two teams at the DI level without a single player returning for the 2025-26 season, Coach Faulkner and her staff hit the transfer portal to build a team from scratch.
• Four freshmen are joined by eight transfers to make up the squad of 12.
• Five transfers come from Division one schools with a DII guard as well as a forward from a junior college in Dodge City, Kan.
• Outside of the United States, the Waves represent five different countries in Canada, Romania, Germany, Australia, and Spain.
• Irune Orio, a transfer from Xavier, is the Spanish representative while Ilinca Belegante comes from Romania. Lina Falk is the sole German and Taija St. Maria represents the north as the Canadian on the Waves.
• The three Australians all come from different areas with one from Perth, one from Melbourne, and the final from the Gold Coast.
• Makena Mastora, a graduate transfer into the Pepperdine women's basketball program last year, is now on the other side as an assistant coach.
• With the new addition of Seattle to the West Coast Conference, the schedule format leaves Pepperdine not traveling to Oregon State or Pacific. 
• In addition, the Waves will not host San Francisco or Gonzaga to Malibu, just playing on the road against the two opponents.
 
SERIES HISTORY

• Through 15 matchups with the Golden Eagles, the Waves are 14-1, including 10-0 in Malibu.
• The sole loss to CSULA came in the 1976-77 season.
• Most recently meeting in 2023-24, the Waves defeated the Golden Eagles in Firestone Fieldhouse with a final score of 78-70.

 
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES

• Currently 4-1, CSULA is coming off a 68-60 win at Cal State Bernardino last week.
• With five division II opponents counting towards the 2025-26 record, CSULA opened the year with three exhibition games against DI opponents in SMU, Stanford, and Arizona. 
• Averaging nearly the entire 40 minutes every game, Sofia Fidelus leads the team offensively with 16.5 ppg.
• Nevaeh Asiasi is the other Golden Eagle averaging double digits with 15.0 ppg, leading the team defensively with 9.8 boards per game.

 
Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. As a part of the community day, there will be a pizza tailgate just outside the doors of Firestone, welcome to all who come before game time. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required) with live stats available on www.pepperdinewaves.com
 
ABOUT PEPPERDINE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Pepperdine women's basketball has made four NCAA postseason appearances in its history, having won the WCC regular-season four times and the WCC Tournament on three occasions. With six All-American selections in program history, the Waves have also seen success in the WNIT Tournament which included a run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019.
 
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
 
FOLLOW
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