Middlebrooks Has 28, Lewis 26 as Pepperdine Defeats Portland

Levy Middlebrooks scored 28 points and Tom Lewis added 26 to lead Pepperdine past Portland, 91-81, in a West Coast Athletic Conference game Saturday night.

Pepperdine (11-6 overall and 3-1 in the conference) never trailed. The loss was the fourth straight for Portland (5-12, 0-4).

With the Waves leading, 60-56, in the second half, Dexter Howard scored three straight baskets to extend the margin to 66-56 with 11:48 remaining.

Portland’s Robert Phillips sparked a Portland comeback with nine points in a 20-12 run that closed the gap to 78-76 with 4:19 left.

However, Middlebrooks scored four points and Lewis added a basket in a 9-2 Pepperdine streak to stretch the lead to 87-78 with 21 seconds remaining.

The Waves took their biggest lead of the game in the first half with a 11-point margin at 22-11.

Pepperdine shot 66% from the field for the game.

Adam Simmons scored 18 points and Phillips added 16 for Portland.