Waves Trying to Get Over Loss to Bruins

Shock gave way to disgust. Disgust gave way to resignation.

Then the Pepperdine basketball players packed their bags and headed for Stockton on Wednesday for a game tonight against Pacific.

The Waves couldn’t stop thinking about their loss to UCLA, 68-66, Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion on a disputed call.

Not only did they feel wronged by the official who disallowed a basket by guard Craig Lewis at the buzzer that would have forced overtime, they believed a victory should already have been in the bag.

“We almost won and we didn’t play nearly as well as we can,” forward Kelvin Gibbs said. “It shouldn’t have come down to that shot.”

Pepperdine (8-4) did not make a field goal in the last 3:43 and shot only 35.9% in the game, making 23 of 64 shots.

Brandon Armstrong, the Waves’ leading scorer this season, made only four of 15 shots, including an embarrassing missed dunk.

Yet Pepperdine was outrebounded by the taller Bruins only 44-38. Center Nick Sheppard had 10 rebounds before fouling out with 6:29 to play.

“This was no moral victory,” Coach Jan van Breda Kolff said. “We had an opportunity to win. It’s something we have to grow from.”