Pepperdine Upsets No. 20 DePaul in Overtime, 84-76

Tom Lewis scored 26 points and Craig Davis added 23 as Pepperdine defeated 20th-ranked DePaul, 84-76, in overtime Saturday night at the Rosemont Horizon.

DePaul played without star point guard Rod Strickland, who is on academic probation.

It was the first time in six meetings that Pepperdine has beaten DePaul, and it was the first time that DePaul had lost a season opener since 1978, when it lost to UCLA.

Pepperdine Coach Jim Harrick said it was clear that DePaul missed Strickland and that the Rosemont Horizon “is an extremely difficult place to win in.” Especially when he was starting three sophomores before a crowd of 11,227.

On Strickland’s absence, DePaul Coach Joey Meyer said: “We have to go out and play with the hand that’s dealt us. They were more physical than we were, and we didn’t do a good job on the boards.”

It was obvious from the beginning that DePaul missed Strickland, a junior who will be ineligible until at least early December.

At the outset of the game, the Blue Demons seemed to be waiting for someone to take charge as Lewis hit two three-pointers and the Waves grabbed a 14-6 lead.

The Waves led, 15-11, when DePaul’s Terence Greene got hot. In a three-minute span, Greene made two baskets and two three-point plays, and DePaul took a 26-21 lead.

Down by nine early in the second half, Pepperdine went on a 15-5 run, taking the lead at 10:22 after two free throws by Casey Crawford.

It was close for the rest of the game, with the lead changing hands several times.

With 12 seconds left in regulation, Lewis made two free throws to give the Waves a 70-69 lead.

But Greene, who scored a career-high 25 points, made one of two free throws to send the game into overtime.

The overtime was close until Greene fouled out with 1:38 left.

Kevin Edwards led DePaul with 22 points.