Pepperdine Waves (4-1) vs. UCLA Bruins (3-2)
The Pepperdine Waves start their two-game road trip Wednesday, November 23, when they take on the No. 19 UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. Pepperdine meets UCLA for the first time since November 2020, and the Bruins shoot for their seventh consecutive victory over the Waves.
UCLA beat Pepperdine 107-98 as a 7-point fave the last time they met. The Bruins are listed as 17-point favorites this time around, and the totals sit at 148.5 points.
The Pepperdine Waves (4-1; 3-1 ATS) are riding a three-game winning streak following a 64-55 home victory against the UC Irvine Anteaters this past Saturday. Playing as slight 2.5-point favorites, the Waves held the Anteaters to 28.4% shooting from the field and 21.7% from beyond the arc (5-for-23). Pepperdine went 6-for-14 from downtown and handed out 12 assists against UC Irvine’s stout defense, but the Waves also allowed a thumping 19 offensive rebounds.
Sophomore guard Houston Mallette dropped 20 points on the Anteaters, going 3-for-3 from beyond the 3-point line. He’s now averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on the season. Sophomore forward Maxwell Lewis is tallying 17.2 points, 5.8 boards, and 3.8 dimes per contest, while sophomore G Mike Mitchell Jr. is adding 14.2 points and 5.0 assists a night.
Our own @BaumBoards just dropped a FULL scouting report on @PeppBasketball' @maxwelll2002 ??
– Quotes from Maxwell Lewis and Pepperdine Head Coach @CoachRomar ???
– Full Game Breakdown ??
– Highlights ??
+ MOREREAD ?? https://t.co/gVMuInl1Em pic.twitter.com/XTxbrSXdwj
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) November 22, 2022
Pepperdine is No. 154 in the latest KenPom rankings. The Waves are scoring 103.7 points per 100 possessions (127th in the nation) on 52.7% shooting from the field (13th) and 45.8% from beyond the arc (5th). Pepperdine ranks 183rd in the country in defensive efficiency (102.2 points per 100 possessions), allowing its opponents to shoot 35.8% from the field (27th) and 31.0% from deep (151st).