Pepperdine Can’t Keep Pace With Michigan State

Mateen Cleaves and Charlie Bell keyed a 19-point run to start the second half, enabling 15th-ranked Michigan State to run away from Pepperdine, 79-67, in the opening game of the Pearl Harbor Classic on Monday at Laie, Hawaii.

After Pepperdine (6-4) opened a 36-35 halftime lead, the backcourt tandem for Michigan State (7-3) took over the scoring load from Morris Peterson, who finished with 18 points.

Cleaves, who was scoreless in the first half, had seven points during the run and Bell added six. Guards accounted for 32 of Michigan State’s 44 points in the second half.

Cleaves finished with 16 points and Bell had 14.

Pepperdine, which squandered an eight-point first-half lead, didn’t help its cause in the second half by committing its seventh foul after only four minutes and getting its 10th with 14:12 to play. The Spartans took advantage, making 19 of 22 free throws in the second half and 26 of 33 overall.

Marc McDowell scored 12 points on six-of-seven shooting for Pepperdine, and David Lalazarian scored 12.

Xavier 97, Loyola Marymount 52--Point guard Gary Lumpkin emerged from a season-long slump with 21 points and the Musketeers made all five of their three-point shots in a decisive spurt at Cincinnati.

Xavier (7-4) took control by closing the half with a 20-2 run against the Lions (4-6).