Home Is Anything but Sweet for Waves

MALIBU —  The way Pepperdine’s basketball team has struggled at home this season, maybe it’s to the Waves’ advantage that the West Coast Conference tournament is at Santa Clara next weekend.

After all, Pepperdine is undefeated at Toso Pavilion, having upset the Broncos on their home court last month.

Certainly any gym is looking better to the Waves than Firestone Fieldhouse, where they completed the regular season Saturday night with an 80-61 loss to San Diego before a homecoming crowd of 2,964, the largest of the season.

Pepperdine (9-16, 2-12 in conference play) finished 2-8 at home, its worst record at Firestone Fieldhouse since it opened before the 1973-74 season. The Waves lost their last eight home games and take an eight-game losing streak into the conference tournament Saturday.

In handing Pepperdine its worst defeat of the season, San Diego (12-13, 6-8) clinched sixth place in the WCC and won its first game at Firestone since 1991. The Toreros made 11 of 17 three-point shots, led by forward Brian Miles with four three-point baskets and a career-high 23 points. Guard David Fizdale had 12 points and 10 assists, setting the school single-season assist record with 172.

“They hit some big-time shots,” Wilson said of San Diego. “We left them open on some of their three-pointers, and it got contagious.”

Pepperdine again shot dreadfully from the outside. The Waves made only one of eight three-point attempts to bring their total in the last four games to four of 38. Guard Marques Johnson led the Waves with 21 points and kept them from going without a three-pointer for the second consecutive game--they missed their 10 attempts in Friday’s loss to San Francisco--by making one of four.

Guard Gerald Brown, who entered the game leading WCC scorers with an 18.7 average, finished with a season-low nine points on three-of-12 shooting.

“I’ve been struggling big time in the last few games,” said Brown, who made only nine of 33 shots in two games this weekend. “I couldn’t get anything going.”

Even though it was a disappointing season at home, the Waves gave their fans something to cheer about during an inspired stretch in the first half.

After falling behind, 14-5, in the first five minutes, Pepperdine went on an 18-7 run to take its only lead of the game, 23-21, on a jump shot by Johnson with 6 minutes 37 seconds left in the half. But San Diego rallied to take a 36-29 halftime lead and led by at least five points throughout the second half.

“We’re pretty down right now,” Wilson said. “We’ll keep working hard . . . and hope for the best.”