Pepperdine Women Beat Loyola, 88-69

The Pepperdine women’s basketball team held serve against Loyola Marymount Wednesday, winning the first game of this week’s home-and-home series, 88-69, at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu.

The same teams have a rematch Saturday at Loyola’s Gersten Pavilion.

Wednesday’s game left both teams tied at 1-2 in the West Coast Conference. Loyola is 8-9 overall and the Waves are 7-9.

Pepperdine pulled away quickly and Loyola never got back into the game. The Waves led at halftime, 50-26, and Loyola rarely got closer in the second half than the final margin.

Tricia Gibson and Jamie Jesko led the Lions with 21 and 20 points, but the Lions shot only 33% from the field. Aimee McDaniel led a balanced Pepperdine attack with 19.