Thursday, November 5
Malibu, Calif.
5:00 PM
Pepperdine University
vs
UC Santa Barbara
11/4/2026 4:06:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine women's basketball (1-0) hosts the home opener in Firestone Fieldhouse against the UCSB Gauchos (1-0) Thursday night as the first part of a doubleheader.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Waves opened the 2026-27 season with a 59-43 win over Portland State on the road Monday night.
•Three different Waves scored double digits as Maggie Mendelson secured her first collegiate double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds, going seven for 11 from the field.
•Although the offense was not red hot, defense held the Waves together to allow just 10 points in the second and third quarter combined.
GAME NOTES
• Finishing the 2025-26 season 21-13 (10-8 WCC) the Waves tied program history for the longest postseason run, ending the historic season in the Super 16 of the WNIT.
• In her second season at the helm, head coach Katie Faulkner led Pepperdine to the best start in 45 years and fourth best ever.
• Earning the most wins in seven years, the Waves hosted the first ever postseason games in Malibu, going 2-0 at home in the WNIT, in the final full season in Firestone Fieldhouse.
• Returning junior Elli Guiney cracked the top-10 in multiple categories, coming in at second all-time for threes made in a season with 72, including 37 in conference play (also second all-time).
• Returning seven players, including three starters, Elli Guiney and Lina Falk were slated on the All-WCC Preseason Team.
• Making Waves in the WCC last season, Falk finished fourth in the conference in three point percentage at .400, followed closely by Guiney who finished with a .399 percentage.
• Guiney led the squad in scoring last season, averaging 15.0 points per game while Falk was second, averaging 11.7 ppg.
• As a team, Pepperdine was picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason poll.
• Nationally, the Waves made the 5th best turnaround in the country last year going from 8 wins to 21, including the 4th best NET turnaround.
• Last season's trip to the Super 16 of the WNIT tied a program record for the longest postseason run ever.
• Also hosting the first postseason games in Malibu, the Waves were a perfect 2-0 in Firestone.
• As one of just two programs to return zero players to a roster, Faulkner and co turned an uncertain offseason into a historic season.
• Adding four newcomers to the roster, transfers Keandra Koorits and Maggie Mendelson join freshmen Freya Bijerk, Landrie Callahan, and Evelyn Martyn to make up the 12-person squad.
• Keandra Koorits, a junior transfer from Washington State, stays local to the WCC as her former school makes the jump to the newly formed Pac-12.
• Koorits played in all 34 games last season for the Cougars, starting in two games with an average of 6.7 points per game throughout the year.
• Maggie Mendelson, a graduate transfer to Pepperdine, most recently comes to Malibu from the Atlanta Vibe, a professional volleyball team in Major League Volleyball (MLV)
• Coming to Pepperdine from Penn State, the Utah native won the 2024 NCAA Volleyball National Championship with the Nittany Lions.
•Originally recruited as a dual-athlete, Mendelson spent the first two years of her collegiate career at the University of Nebraska.
• Outside of the United States, the Waves represent five different countries in Canada, Romania, Germany, Australia, and Estonia.
• Faulkner led one of the best program turnarounds in the entire country last season, in just one year's time turning an eight-win program into a 20 (and counting) game-winning program.
• Faulkner is the only head coach in the West Coast Conference who is also a mother, with her three children Baker, Laney, and Cali Jo.
• This season marks the 52nd and final games in Firestone Fieldhouse as the home for Pepperdine Basketball.
• Pepperdine will move into the Mountain at Mullin Park in the the 2026-27 season.
• The Mountain is a new 3,600-seat arena that will give Pepperdine a state-of-the-art competition venue, complete with a 360-degree high-definition scoreboard, VIP and hospitality spaces, and custom team locker rooms.
• Opening the first week of December, the Waves will open play in the new arena Dec. 6 against Boise State.
SERIES HISTORY WITH UCSB
• The Waves are looking to take the series lead over the Gauchos Thursday night, currently 18-18 all-time against the California foe.
• At home, Pepperdine holds a 10-6 edge.
• The team's last meeting was in the 2022-23 season, resulting in a 63-71 loss.
• The last win for the Waves came at Pepperdine 11 years ago in the 2025-26 season in a one-possession 71-69 victory.
SCOUTING THE GAUCHOS
• Currently 1-0 after a dominating 101-26 win over UC Santa Cruz, UCSB is looking to continue the momentum which orginiated from an exhibition win over Stanford.
• Six different players scored double digits in the season opener, led by freshman Sarah Heyn who had 17.
• Zoe Borter was the Gaucho's leading scorer last season, returning for her senior year and scoring 13 against UC Santa Cruz Tuesday.
Tipoff for Thursday's game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. 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 runs to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019 and most recently 2026.
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women's basketball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineWBB.
LAST TIME OUT
• The Waves opened the 2026-27 season with a 59-43 win over Portland State on the road Monday night.
•Three different Waves scored double digits as Maggie Mendelson secured her first collegiate double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds, going seven for 11 from the field.
•Although the offense was not red hot, defense held the Waves together to allow just 10 points in the second and third quarter combined.
GAME NOTES
• Finishing the 2025-26 season 21-13 (10-8 WCC) the Waves tied program history for the longest postseason run, ending the historic season in the Super 16 of the WNIT.
• In her second season at the helm, head coach Katie Faulkner led Pepperdine to the best start in 45 years and fourth best ever.
• Earning the most wins in seven years, the Waves hosted the first ever postseason games in Malibu, going 2-0 at home in the WNIT, in the final full season in Firestone Fieldhouse.
• Returning junior Elli Guiney cracked the top-10 in multiple categories, coming in at second all-time for threes made in a season with 72, including 37 in conference play (also second all-time).
• Returning seven players, including three starters, Elli Guiney and Lina Falk were slated on the All-WCC Preseason Team.
• Making Waves in the WCC last season, Falk finished fourth in the conference in three point percentage at .400, followed closely by Guiney who finished with a .399 percentage.
• Guiney led the squad in scoring last season, averaging 15.0 points per game while Falk was second, averaging 11.7 ppg.
• As a team, Pepperdine was picked to finish fourth in the WCC preseason poll.
• Nationally, the Waves made the 5th best turnaround in the country last year going from 8 wins to 21, including the 4th best NET turnaround.
• Last season's trip to the Super 16 of the WNIT tied a program record for the longest postseason run ever.
• Also hosting the first postseason games in Malibu, the Waves were a perfect 2-0 in Firestone.
• As one of just two programs to return zero players to a roster, Faulkner and co turned an uncertain offseason into a historic season.
• Adding four newcomers to the roster, transfers Keandra Koorits and Maggie Mendelson join freshmen Freya Bijerk, Landrie Callahan, and Evelyn Martyn to make up the 12-person squad.
• Keandra Koorits, a junior transfer from Washington State, stays local to the WCC as her former school makes the jump to the newly formed Pac-12.
• Koorits played in all 34 games last season for the Cougars, starting in two games with an average of 6.7 points per game throughout the year.
• Maggie Mendelson, a graduate transfer to Pepperdine, most recently comes to Malibu from the Atlanta Vibe, a professional volleyball team in Major League Volleyball (MLV)
• Coming to Pepperdine from Penn State, the Utah native won the 2024 NCAA Volleyball National Championship with the Nittany Lions.
•Originally recruited as a dual-athlete, Mendelson spent the first two years of her collegiate career at the University of Nebraska.
• Outside of the United States, the Waves represent five different countries in Canada, Romania, Germany, Australia, and Estonia.
• Faulkner led one of the best program turnarounds in the entire country last season, in just one year's time turning an eight-win program into a 20 (and counting) game-winning program.
• Faulkner is the only head coach in the West Coast Conference who is also a mother, with her three children Baker, Laney, and Cali Jo.
• This season marks the 52nd and final games in Firestone Fieldhouse as the home for Pepperdine Basketball.
• Pepperdine will move into the Mountain at Mullin Park in the the 2026-27 season.
• The Mountain is a new 3,600-seat arena that will give Pepperdine a state-of-the-art competition venue, complete with a 360-degree high-definition scoreboard, VIP and hospitality spaces, and custom team locker rooms.
• Opening the first week of December, the Waves will open play in the new arena Dec. 6 against Boise State.
SERIES HISTORY WITH UCSB
• The Waves are looking to take the series lead over the Gauchos Thursday night, currently 18-18 all-time against the California foe.
• At home, Pepperdine holds a 10-6 edge.
• The team's last meeting was in the 2022-23 season, resulting in a 63-71 loss.
• The last win for the Waves came at Pepperdine 11 years ago in the 2025-26 season in a one-possession 71-69 victory.
SCOUTING THE GAUCHOS
• Currently 1-0 after a dominating 101-26 win over UC Santa Cruz, UCSB is looking to continue the momentum which orginiated from an exhibition win over Stanford.
• Six different players scored double digits in the season opener, led by freshman Sarah Heyn who had 17.
• Zoe Borter was the Gaucho's leading scorer last season, returning for her senior year and scoring 13 against UC Santa Cruz Tuesday.
Tipoff for Thursday's game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. 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 runs to the Sweet Sixteen in 2019 and most recently 2026.
TICKETS
For more information and to purchase tickets to upcoming home events, visit here.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine women's basketball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineWBB.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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