Pepperdine’s Past Returns to Haunt Santa Clara

How do you explain the last-place team in the West Coast Conference beating the champion?

Pepperdine Coach Tony Fuller credited the Waves’ 73-63 upset of Santa Clara on Saturday to aggressive defense and a couple of spirits inhabiting Firestone Fieldhouse.

“I think we won because the (Jim) Harrick and (Tom) Asbury ghosts were here tonight,” Fuller said, referring to his coaching predecessors. Harrick attended the game and Asbury was represented by his wife and daughter.

There was nothing supernatural about Pepperdine’s victory, though. Spurred on by 3,031 at homecoming festivities that included an alumni game, the Waves led from the start in snapping a seven-game losing streak and ending Santa Clara’s winning streak at nine games.

Pepperdine, which finished the regular season 8-18 overall and 4-10 in the WCC, used aggressive man-to-man defense to hold Santa Clara (21-5, 12-2) to 35% shooting. Bronco guard Steve Nash led all scorers with 30 points, but he made only six-of-18 field-goal attempts. Nash made all 15 of his free throws.

“Khary Hervey did an excellent job against Nash,” Fuller said of the Waves’ sophomore guard. “It was a team effort. When we get four or five guys playing well, we can be successful.”

Guard Gerald Brown led Pepperdine with 25 points, and back-up center LeRoi O’Brien had 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Waves outrebounded Santa Clara, 43-32.

A three-point shot by reserve forward Josh Merrill midway through the the second half gave Pepperdine its biggest lead, 51-32, before Santa Clara mounted a comeback behind Nash. Three times the Broncos cut the deficit to six, but the Waves answered, the last time on a dunk by center Gavin Vanderputten with 53 seconds left to make it 66-58.

Pepperdine will play Portland (19-7, 10-4) in the first round of the conference tournament Saturday at Santa Clara.