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Portland (6-7, 0-0) at Pepperdine (5-11, 0-1), 5, Fox Sports Net 2 -- Pepperdine can hope that the Pilots come in sluggish after having been stranded in Portland until Friday because of the city’s fierce winter storm. The Waves’ five-game losing streak is their longest in seven years. One of the few bright spots has been freshman point guard Shaun Davis, who had 16 points and five assists against Gonzaga. Portland is playing its first West Coast Conference game after postponing its opener against Loyola Marymount until Monday.
No. 16 Gonzaga (11-2, 1-0) at Loyola Marymount (8-4, 0-0), 7, KXLU-FM (88.9) -- Loyola hasn’t played in eight days after having to move its game against Portland to Monday. The injury-plagued Lions won’t have sophomore guard Brandon Worthy this season. Worthy, the team’s second-leading scorer in 2002-03, will redshirt as his broken right hand has been slow to heal. Despite major injuries to forward Tony Skinner and center Richard Fox, Gonzaga has won four in a row since a loss to No. 4 Stanford.
UC Irvine (7-5, 2-1) at Pacific (8-6, 3-0), 7, KUCI-FM (88.9) -- Senior center Adam Parada is playing the most consistent ball of his career for Irvine. In three conference games, Parada (12.6 points, 7.2 rebounds) is averaging 18 points and seven rebounds with nine blocks. Point guard Jeff Gloger had a career-high 19 points on seven-for-eight shooting in Thursday’s victory over Cal State Northridge. Pacific sophomore forward Christian Maraker had 26 and 23 points against Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.
Idaho (3-8, 0-2) at UC Santa Barbara (7-5, 1-2), 7, KTLK (1340) -- With two losses in its first three Big West games, this wasn’t where Santa Barbara expected to be. Blame it on a defense that hasn’t been up to previous standards and an inability to close out games. Idaho has struggled early. Cal Poly outscored Idaho in the final 16 minutes Thursday, 46-20.
-- Eric Stephens
Cal State Fullerton (4-7, 0-2) at UC Riverside (3-6, 1-1), 7, Channel 64, KWRM (1370), KPRO (1570) -- Fullerton hits the road for three consecutive games carting a three-game losing streak. The Titans rallied to take leads in the last two minutes in each of those losses, but key three-point baskets by each opponent did them in. Fullerton has made only 34.1% of its free throws in its last five games. Riverside concludes a three-game homestand.
Long Beach State (4-8, 2-1) at CS Northridge (5-6, 1-2), 7, KRLA (870) -- Northridge Coach Bobby Braswell is concerned that his team isn’t getting production off the bench and is struggling offensively. “We’re having a hard time putting the ball in the basket,” he said Thursday after the Matadors had made only 38.3% of their shots at home in a 72-56 loss to UC Irvine. Long Beach committed 17 turnovers Thursday in its first Big West loss, a 70-55 defeat at Pacific.
-- Paul McLeod