The Pepperdine Waves (9-18, 2-11 WCC) will try to slow down the NCAA’s top scoring team when they play host to the No. 13 Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-5, 10-2 WCC) on Saturday.
Gonzaga topped the BYU Cougars 88-81 at McCarthey Athletic Center on Saturday. Julian Strawther had a standout performance with 26 points.
The Bulldogs remain second in the West Coast Conference. Pepperdine dropped their last game on Saturday at War Memorial Gymnasium, falling to the San Francisco Dons 88-80. Mike Mitchell Jr. had 22 points in the losing effort, leading the team.
The Waves are 10th in the West Coast Conference.The teams are meeting for the final time this season. After winning the only earlier season matchup against Pepperdine 111-88 at McCarthey Athletic Center in December 2022, their 22nd straight head-to-head victory, Gonzaga will be looking for a season sweep.
Drew Timme led the Bulldogs with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Maxwell Lewis had 20 points and five assists in the loss. Timme is averaging 21.1 points per game to lead the Bulldogs in scoring this season.
Timme also is contributing 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Lewis (17.6 ppg) has supplied much of the Waves’ offense. Jevon Porter is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game, and Mitchell Jr. is recording 4.9 assists. The Bulldogs rank as the highest-scoring offense in the NCAA with 86.3 points per game.
The Bulldogs have dominated the last 10 trips to Firestone Fieldhouse, winning nine. Gonzaga is 8-2 in the last 10 games with an average margin of +10.4 (86.4-76.0).
Pepperdine has gone 2-8 over the last 10, allowing 86.0 points per game on average while scoring only 77.6 (-8.4 margin). The Waves are averaging 78.1 ppg for the full season while allowing 80.5.
BULLDOGS HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Nolan Hickman: 9.2 | 13.7 | -4.5
Points per game:
Julian Strawther: 19.2 | 14.6 | +4.6
Rebounds per game:
Julian Strawther: 4.8 | 6.6 | -1.8
Assists per game:
Nolan Hickman: 1.4 | 3.2 | -1.8
WAVES HOT/COLD
(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points + Rebounds + Assists:
Jevon Porter: 27.0 | 19.9 | +7.1
Points per game:
Jevon Porter: 16.0 | 11.9 | +4.1
Maxwell Lewis: 12.8 | 17.6 | -4.8
Rebounds per game:
Jevon Porter: 9.4 | 7.3 | +2.1
SportsTips’ College Basketball Pick:
Gonzaga -16.5 (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
