Depleted Pepperdine Can’t Stay With Santa Clara, 77-71

Missing its tallest player, Pepperdine knew it needed a big effort to stay with West Coast Conference co-leader Santa Clara.

The Waves were successful for 30 minutes, but foul trouble and defensive breakdowns eventually took their toll as Santa Clara pulled away for a 77-71 victory Friday night before 3,195 at Toso Pavilion.

Ragged play resulted in the teams combining for 37 turnovers, 60 fouls and 78 free throws.

“It was like a night-league game with a bunch of old guys fouling,” Pepperdine Coach Lorenzo Romar said. “We didn’t play very well. For 30 minutes, we competed. But we had far too many mental breakdowns defensively and at times our shot selection wasn’t very good.”

Pepperdine played without starting center omm’A Givens, who served the first of a two-game suspension after fighting with and injuring a teammate in practice Tuesday.

According to sources, the 6-foot-11, 235-pound Givens punched and broke the jaw of Aaron Butler, a 6-2, 180-pound walk-on. Butler underwent surgery to have his jaw wired shut and is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks.

Romar, who declined to comment on details of the incident, said Givens will rejoin the team at practice Monday.

Givens’ absence left Pepperdine (9-6, 1-2 in the WCC) with only seven scholarship players, and the lack of depth became a liability after the Waves’ three post players--Bryan Hill, Kelvin Gibbs and Marc McDowell--picked up their fourth fouls within a three-minute span in the second half.

Santa Clara (12-3, 3-0) took command after the 6-8 Hill was benched with 14:14 to play. The Broncos followed with a 17-4 run to take a 60-51 lead with eight minutes left. Reserve guard Nathan Fast gave Santa Clara a lift by scoring seven unanswered points during the stretch.

Hill reentered the game with 7:47 to play, but Pepperdine drew no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Forward Lloyd Pierce scored a career-best 28 points for Santa Clara, whose starting guards--Brian Jones and Craig Johnson--fouled out in the second half along with Pepperdine’s McDowell and Gerald Brown.

“I don’t think it was any rougher than most games,” said Pierce, whose team made 26 of 38 free throws. “I don’t know if the refs thought it was.”