AREA COLLEGE NOTEBOOK

The Pepperdine women’s basketball team opens West Coast Conference play tonight at Santa Clara (9-3) and the Waves (10-5) are hoping guard Rasheeda Clark is healthy enough to play.

Clark, the WCC most valuable player last season, sprained an ankle Dec. 9 against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is expected to return to the lineup. She was averaging 11.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals.

“We are looking forward to starting conference and defending our regular-season title,” Coach Mark Trakh said. “If we are able to get everyone back and playing together, we have an opportunity to have another successful season.”

Moorpark High graduate Damaris Hinojosa, a sophomore guard, leads Pepperdine with averages of 14.1 points and 4.3 assists. She ranks third at 5.1 rebounds.

The Waves travel to San Diego (5-6) for a WCC game Saturday before hosting Loyola Marymount on Wednesday.