Pepperdine Risks Its Unbeaten Record Against Ninth-Ranked Arizona Today

Although his basketball team is unbeaten in three games, Pepperdine Coach Jim Harrick said that the Waves were tired after playing three games in six days to start the season. But he also said that his players will shake off their fatigue when they play ninth-ranked Arizona here this afternoon at McKale Center.

Harrick said that he may have played his starters “too long, too early in the season” and that after upsetting DePaul, the Waves struggled in wins over UC Irvine and Nevada Reno.

“Either we play to our level of competition, or we’re not very good and we’re going to get a lesson” from Arizona, he said.

Arizona (4-0) is led by forward Sean Elliott, who averaged 18.7 points and was the most valuable player as the Wildcats won the Great Alaska Shootout. Senior point guard Steve Kerr of Pacific Palisades is back after missing last season because of a knee injury.