Green Lifts Irvine in 2 Overtimes

Jerry Green scored a career-high 41 points, including the game-deciding three-point basket in double overtime, to lift UC Irvine over Pepperdine, 96-93, in a nonconference game Tuesday night at Irvine.

Green’s basket with 6.7 seconds left gave Irvine (2-0) a 95-93 lead en route to its 14th consecutive victory at home. Pepperdine dropped to 1-1.

“He really showed what the fuss is all about,” Pepperdine Coach Paul Westphal said. “If he doesn’t have an All-American-type game, we win. I became a fan of his.”

Green, a Wooden Award preseason All-American, was the Big West Conference player of the year last season. But he would not have gotten his chance to score the game-winner if not for Mike Hood’s three-point basket with two seconds remaining in the first overtime.

Pepperdine trailed by as many as eight in the second half, but its last four field goals of regulation were three-point baskets.

After leading early, Pepperdine tied the score, 74-74, with 50 seconds remaining. With two three-pointers to open the overtime, the Waves had six consecutive field goals that were three-point baskets.

Devin Montgomery scored a team-high 17 points for Pepperdine and Terrance Johnson had 16.