MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine women's basketball (9-3) beat CSUN (5-6) 69-63 Saturday afternoon in Firestone Fieldhouse for the program's best start in 45 years.
"We created a lot of great opportunities, and found a way when shots weren't falling," head coach
Katie Faulkner said. "I think we know we want a better effort defensively in the second half but people stepped up in different ways throughout the game."
Shooting just .382 on the afternoon, including .280 from distance, the Waves had to find a way to win with the offense being cold for the majority of the game.
The most from a single player in the first quarter on either side would be
Shorna Preston with four points as neither squad found an offensive rhythm. With an average of .270 shooting from the field for both teams after the opening 10, Pepperdine led 12-11.
More than doubling the first quarter's production, the Waves' shots started to fall in the second.
Lina Falk led the way with eight points as
Shorna Preston hit her second from distance, nearly securing a double-double before the half with 11 rebounds and nine points. With the defense outrebounding CSUN 9-4, the Waves erased all second-chance opportunities for the Matadors, taking a 31-18 lead into the locker room at half.
Momentum swung in the visitor's favor coming out of the break as the 13 point-lead was erased for Pepperdine throughout the third quarter. Two separate lead changes and three ties in the 10-minute stretch proved the game would come down to the wire. Being outshot .294 to .558, the Waves fought through the swing of favorability, taking a slim 44-43 lead into the final quarter.
After another cold 10-minute stretch, the offense found a groove for the final stretch. Shooting .500 from the field as well as from three, the Waves kept a hungry CSUN team at bay.
Seleh Harmon hit one of her two from distance in the fourth, making it six straight games with a three from the freshman who has netted one in 11 of the 12 games played this season. Falk led Pepperdine to victory in the second half with 10 points as the Waves pulled off the 69-63 win.
Closing out the nonconference stretch of the season 9-3, it is Pepperdine's best start in 45 years and the fourth best start in program history. After the Holidays, the Waves begin West Coast Conference play on the road, going to Pullman, Wash. to take on the Cougars of Washington State Dec. 28. The game will be available on ESPN+ (subscription required) with live stats available at
pepperdinewaves.com.
GAME NOTES
- Lina Falk dropped a season-high 18 points, two shy of her career-high.
- Falk's season-high of 18 led the team this afternoon.
- Shorna Preston secured her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.
- The third and final Wave in double digits was Seleh Harmon, dropping 10.
- Taija Sta. Maria, who leads the team in assists, was the leader once again tonight with four.
- The Waves and Matadors split 30 turnovers evenly with 15 apiece.
- Pepperdine scored 13 in transition compared to CSUN's zero.
- The Waves outrebounded the Matadors 47-36, including 17-10 on the offensive side of the glass.
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.
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