Pepperdine, Loyola Play WCAC Games on the Road

Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount, tied for first place in the West Coast Athletic Conference basketball race, will try to stay there this week while playing on the road against the same teams, the University of San Diego and St. Mary’s.

The Waves (4-0 in the WCAC, 16-3 overall) will be at San Diego (3-1, 13-5) tonight, then take on the Gaels (2-2, 9-8) Saturday night. The Lions (4-0, 12-6) will be in Moraga tonight, then head south Saturday night.

San Diego, an experienced team with the conference’s biggest physical specimen in 7-foot, 260-pound junior center Scott Thompson, should give the league leaders more trouble than St. Mary’s, which starts three freshmen.

The Toreros have won eight of their last nine, and their only loss during that span was by two points on the road against league foe Santa Clara, a team that was tough for both Loyola and Pepperdine on their home courts last week.

San Diego is 8-0 at home this season and 20-4 there under second-year Coach Hank Egan.