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Pepperdine (5-8) vs. Colorado State (7-4) at Denver, 2:30 p.m. -- The Waves’ inability to win close games accounts for their losing record. They have lost six of seven games decided by four points or fewer. Guard Alex Acker, last season’s West Coast Conference freshman of the year, has picked up his play after a slow start. Acker is averaging 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his last five games. The Rams are coming off a 71-69 upset of No. 21 Purdue on Tuesday night as Micheal Morris made a game-winning three-point basket with less than a second remaining. The teams are playing at the Pepsi Center.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (5-3) at UC Irvine (5-4), 7 p.m., KUCI-FM (88.9) -- Irvine plays four games in the next eight days, but tonight’s game is only its fifth since Dec. 5. The Anteaters have won three of their last four but have been idle since Dec. 20 when they lost at Sacramento State, 64-56. San Luis Obispo senior forward Varnie Dennis, a preseason all-Big West pick, leads the Mustangs in scoring (19.4) and rebounding (8.1).

Pacific (5-6) at UC Riverside (3-5), 7 p.m., Channel 64, KPRO (1570) -- Riverside had its three-game winning streak ended Monday in a 66-55 loss at Sacramento State. The Tigers have been inconsistent in shooting from the field. They made only 38.6% of their field-goal attempts in the loss at Sacramento State, and their top three scorers -- Vili Morton, Nate Carter and Kevin Butler -- failed to reach double figures. Pacific has lost four of its last six but is coming off Tuesday’s 68-47 victory over Cal State Stanislaus. Guillaume Yango and Christian Maraker scored 12 points each.

Cal State Northridge (4-4) at Cal State Fullerton (4-5), 7 p.m. -- Northridge has been a vastly different team on the road, where it has lost all of four its games. However, the Matadors didn’t have new starting forward Eto Onyenegecha for any of them. Onyenegecha has scored 14 and 25 points in his two games since becoming eligible Dec. 22. Fullerton has reaped immediate rewards from its ability to recruit community college players again. Junior transfers Hardy Asprilla, Yaphett King and Brian Pruitt combine to average 18.2 points and 14 rebounds. Reserve point guard Zakee Smith, who initially did not react well to losing his starting spot to Bobby Brown, played Tuesday against Loyola Marymount after sitting out three games.

UC Santa Barbara (6-3) at Long Beach State (2-7), 7:30 p.m., KTLK (1340) -- Santa Barbara has started to look like the team that was picked to win the Big West Conference title. The Gauchos’ only loss in their last six games was to Kansas. Guard Nick Jones had 12 points in a victory over Alabama State, his first game back after an eight-game suspension. Guard Cecil Brown, a top reserve, sat out a game with a sprained ankle but is expected to return tonight. Long Beach stunned the Gauchos at the Pyramid last year, 68-67. Junior forward Chris Jenkins has sat out two games with a sprained ankle. Freshman Kevin Houston has made only 23% of his shots from the field.

-- Paul McLeod and Eric Stephens