TONIGHT / MEN

* PEPPERDINE (13-8, 5-4) at ST. MARY’S (9-12, 4-5), 7:30, KIEV (870)--Pepperdine’s title hopes in the West Coast Conference were dealt a blow Thursday in a 78-70 loss to last-place San Diego. The Waves shot 48% and their two leading scorers, guards Gerald Brown and Jelani Gardner, were held to a combined 16 points on four-of-13 shooting. Brown has shot poorly in the past month, the exception being his 11-of-14, 25-point performance last week in a 91-65 victory over St. Mary’s. In that game, the Waves held Gael guard David Sivulich, the WCC’s leading scorer, to nine points. St. Mary’s lost to Loyola Marymount, 80-71, Thursday despite a career-high 21 points from guard Frank Alloco.