Pepperdine Gets Shot Down, 78-65

Pepperdine was no match against near perfection Saturday night.

Michael Olowokandi, Pacific’s 7-foot-1 center, made his first 14 shots and finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in leading the Tigers to a 78-65 victory over the Waves before 4,014 at Stockton. Olowokandi’s shooting streak ended on his 15th and last attempt when he lost the handle on what would have been an uncontested dunk with 3:26 to play.

“It wasn’t a 100% field-goal percentage, but I’ll take it,” he said.

The 14-for-15 effort was a Pacific record for shooting percentage at least 10 attempts.

“We got dominated by a super player,” Pepperdine Coach Lorenzo Romar said. “We played against a first-round draft choice, maybe a lottery pick, that we couldn’t contain tonight.”

Olowokandi, a senior from London who randomly picked Pacific in a guide to American colleges, made all 10 of his shots and grabbed nine rebounds in the first half, but Pepperdine stayed close and trailed, 41-37, at halftime.

Pacific (6-3) pulled away in the second half by limiting the Waves (4-2) to 10-of-30 shooting, while making 13 of 22 field goals (59.1%).