SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Despite the fanfare of Senior Night for four-year walk-on Phillip Bach, Santa Clara was unable to pick up a home victory at the Leavey Center, falling to Pepperdine 62-57. Santa Clara travels to LMU on Saturday for an 8 p.m. game. LMU fell at home tonight to San Diego, 60-57.
Santa Clara (8-20; 0-15) shot 35.6 percent from the field (21 of 59), including 20 percent beyond the arc (5 of 25). They collected 33 rebounds, nine assists and seven blocks. The Broncos shot 58.8 percent from the charity stripe (10 of 17) and turned the ball over six times. Raymond Cowels III led the Broncos with 15 points, including four three-pointers. Niyi Harrison nearly had a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Pepperdine (10-18;4-12) shot 42 percent from the field (23 of 54), including 25 percent beyond the arc (3 of 12). They collected 48 rebounds, 12 assists and one block. The Waves shot 54.4 percent from the charity stripe (14 of 26) and turned the ball over 10 times. Pepperdine was led by Taylor Darby, who led all scorers with 16 points.
Cowels III scored the first points of the contests with a three-pointer. Pepperdine's Jordan Baker responded with a three of his own. However, on the next SCU possession, Cowels III drilled his second three in the opening minutes.
Harrison grinded out two points in the paint to add to the Broncos lead. The Waves bounced back with two quick layups. At 15:43 in the first half, the Broncos led by one point, 8-7.
Brandon Clark nailed down a mid-range jumper to add to the Broncos lead. The Waves evened up the contest with a three-pointer by Corbin Moore. After another Pepperdine layup, Harrison responded by adding a jumper and an and-one to put the Broncos up 15-12 with 11:45 remaining.
Up four, Roquemore drained a long two-pointer to put the lead back at six points. Darby continued to convert for the Waves, as he matched Roquemore's shot. The Waves missed two offensive opportunities and then fouled Roquemore. The sophomore downed both from the charity stripe. With Pepperdine unable to convert and the Broncos getting it down from the free-throw line, there had not been a field goal in roughly three minutes entering the final media timeout.
After a long rebound, Ramond Eaton pulled Pepperdine within four with a fast break layup.
Pepperdine scored the first points in roughly two minutes as Eaton knocked down a shot and was fouled. Eaton converted the three-point play to pull within one. The teams traded baskets and Santa Clara led 26-25 at half.
In the first half, Santa Clara shot 40.0 percent from the field (10 of 25), including 30 percent beyond the arc (3 of 10). They collected 17 rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks. The Broncos shot 50 percent from the charity stripe (3 of 6) and turned the ball over four times.
Pepperdine shot 35.5 percent from the field (11 of 35), including 25.0 percent beyond the arc (2 of 8). They collected 21 rebounds and 5 assists. The Waves shot 50 percent from the charity stripe (1 of 2) and turned the ball over five times.
After the media timeout, Roquemore stopped Pepperdine's run, carving his way through the Pepperdine defense and kissing it off the glass.
Willis continued his offensive production for Pepperdine with another layup and put-back that pushed Pepperdine's lead to 39-28.
Robert Garrett ended the Pepperdine run, battling in the paint for two, but the Waves responded with another layup.
After trading buckets, Yannick Atanga got the crowd back into it with an impressive block. On the ensuing possession, Denzel Johnson hit a mid-range jumper to pull the Broncos within 10.
For roughly the next four minutes traded fouls and turnovers. At 7:54 Pepperdine led by 11, 43-32.
With 4:47 left, Cowels III drained his third triple of the contest, cutting the lead the Pepperdine lead to 49-40.
After a Santa Clara timeout, Cowels III forced a turnover and B. Clark pulled Santa Clara within seven.
Cowels III continued his sharpshooting with another three-pointer. With 1:57 left, Santa Clara trailed 52-47.
Despite the late offense, the Broncos fell 63-57.