Gardner Helps Pepperdine Settle Score Against Loyola

Pepperdine guard Jelani Gardner said he came into Saturday night’s game against Loyola Marymount with something to prove.

Consider his mission accomplished.

Though he almost became the goat for the second game in a row, Gardner came through by converting a three-point play with 8.8 seconds to play to give the Waves a 70-67 victory over their West Coast Conference rival before 2,150 at Gersten Pavilion.

With the score tied, 67-67, Gardner intercepted a pass from Haywood Eaddy in the Loyola backcourt, drove for a lay-up and was fouled by Willie Allen before making the free throw.

Eaddy’s pass was intended for Allen, who on Wednesday forced a turnover from Gardner and then drove past him for the deciding basket in Loyola’s 81-79 overtime victory at Pepperdine.

Gardner scored only five of his game-high 24 points in the second half, but the were huge. His lay-up with 43 seconds left tied the score, 67-67.

“I never let my confidence fade,” he said.

Pepperdine (11-7, 3-3 in the WCC) blew an eight-point lead in the second half, making one of nine free throws in one stretch and squandering two lay-up opportunities.

The Waves’ most frustrating moment came with Loyola leading, 65-63, when Gardner had the ball alone under the Loyola basket following a turnover but dropped it off his foot out of bounds.

After Gardner’s gaffe, Loyola (5-13, 1-5) increased it’s lead to 67-63 on a putback basket by Elton Mashack. Pepperdine cut it to two on a hook shot by omm’A Givens with 1:26 to play.