Pepperdine Settles Down to Win Opener, 84-64

Pepperdine had split the first 20 minutes of its season between running up and down the Jacksonville Coliseum floor and walking to the free-throw line. The Waves had little to show for it besides a 32-32 tie with Jacksonville University.

Enough, Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said. The Waves came out with a 6-0 run in the first 70 seconds of the second half and put Jacksonville away, 84-64, Saturday night before 3,247.

“It wasn’t artistic, but we put the mark in the win column,” Asbury said. “We got caught up in a running tempo in the first half, and that is not our style. We showed a lot more patience in the second half and did a better job shooting the basketball.”

The Waves made nine of 27 first-half shots. They were 14 for 25 in the second half.

They held a 32-29 lead before Corey Pouncy’s three-pointer with a second to play tied the score at halftime. Pepperdine’s Derek Noether started the second half with a layup, and Dana Jones added another before going to the free-throw line. Jones missed but rebounded and scored on another layup for a 38-32 lead from which the Waves were never headed.

The Dolphins shot a miserable 28.6%--including six for 25 from three-point range--and compounded their problems by committing 38 fouls. They sent shooters to the free-throw line for 57 attempts, a Pepperdine record. The Waves made 36.

“The thing that hurt us more than anything else was our inability to score,” said Matt Kilkullen, a former Notre Dame assistant who is in his first year at Jacksonville. “It was like there was a lid on the basket.

“We didn’t help ourselves by committing fouls and allowing Pepperdine to make a parade to the foul line.”

Five Waves scored in double figures, led by Jones’ 21 points. Doug Christie added 15 points and Geoff Lear had 14. Damin Lopez and Rick Welch had 10 each.

Tim Burroughs led Jacksonville with 19 points and 21 rebounds.