Frederick, Polee Steal a Win for Waves

Anthony Frederick and Dwayne Polee stole one for Pepperdine Saturday night--a big one.

With 12 seconds and the Waves trying frantically to foul any University of San Diego player, Frederick deflected a Pete Murphy pass to Polee at half-court, and Polee drove to the lane and hit a 12-footer in the lane with six seconds remaining. The basket gave the Waves a 61-60 West Coast Athletic Conference win before 3,204 fans at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu.

Pepperdine improved to 7-1 in the WCAC and 19-4 overall, and stayed a game behind conference leader Loyola Marymount. The Waves and the Lions meet next Saturday night at Loyola.

San Diego 7-footer Scott Thompson scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Toreros, who dropped to 4-4 and 14-8.

Pepperdine, which scored 105 points and shot 65% Friday night in beating St. Mary’s, had no chance for another scoring spree Saturday night. San Diego’s zone, plugged in the middle by Thompson, saw to that.

The Waves’ biggest lead of the night was seven points, and they got that far ahead only twice in the first half. All told, the lead changed hands 20 times, and there were six ties.

Pepperdine, which shot 43.6% to San Diego’s 57%, led at intermission, 31-28. But Thompson hit from the top of the key to start the second half and then made an eight-footer from the baseline to give the Toreros a 32-31 lead, their first since they were ahead, 15-13, in the first period.

After that there were 17 lead changes until Thompson hit a 12-foot hook to make it 52-51, San Diego. Though they were having a hard time getting a shot off, the Waves stayed close and trailed, 60-57, with :36 left.

Things didn’t look good for the Waves when Jon Korfas, who finished with 13 points and 10 assists, missed a 25-footer. But Polee, who scored a team-high 15 points, got the rebound and hit a baseline jumper with 24 seconds left.

That set up Frederick’s theft and Polee’s game-saving basket.