Gonzaga beats Pepperdine 86-66 in Malibu at the Firestone Fieldhouse

Pepperdine Waves #0 Houston Mallette (G) jump shot at the top of the key at the Firestone Fieldhouse. Photo by Jerry Kelly/T.G.Sportstv1.

2/16/22 MALIBU, CA - The Pepperdine Waves (7-20, 1-11) hosted the #1 team in the nation, the Gonzaga Bulldogs (20-2, WCC 10-0), at the Firestone Fieldhouse, and lost 86-66.

Pepperdine freshman Houston Mallette scored 25-points to lead his team in scoring, followed by Jan Zidek's 16-points, Darryl Polk jr. 10-points, and Victor Ohia Obioha's 7-points.

Gonzaga scored 58-points in the paint, compared to Pepperdine's 24-points was a key factor to their twenty-points victory,

The Bulldogs started the game with an alley-opp to Drew Timme to take a 2-0 lead. Pepperdine trail 7-6 after a jump shot by Houston Mallette. The Bulldogs led 10-6 with a jump shot by Rasir Bolton.

Mike Mitchell Jr. would make a jump shot that had Pepperdine trailing 16-11. Gonzaga led by eleven points 22-11 with a layup by Chet Holmgren with 10:40 left in the first half.

Mallette's jump shot had the Waves down 24-13. The Bulldogs led 30-15 with a dunk by Sallis Hunter. Carson Basham from Pepperdine dunk made the score 30-17.

Gonzaga Bulldogs #2 Drew Timme (F) going strong to the basket for a layup. Photo by Jerry Kelly/T.G.Sportstv1.

Gonzaga led by ten points, 32-22 after Drew Timme would make a layup posting in the paint. Jan Zidek would make a layup that made the score 32-24. Gonzaga led 36-24 with two free throws by Anton Watson.

Gonzaga led 45-29 at the end of the first half after a three-point shot by Zidek. Mallette led the Waves in scoring with 9-points, followed by Zidek with 8-points.

Timme and Watson were the leading scorers for the Bulldogs, both with 8-points and Bolton with 7-points. Gonzaga dominated the paint 34-20.

Pepperdine trailed in the second half 46-32 with a three-pointer by Darryl Polk Jr. Gonzaga increased their lead to 52-34 with a jumper by Timme.

Pepperdine Waves #31Jan Zidek (F) driving past the Gonzaga Bulldogs #2 Drew Timme (F) at the Firestone Fieldhouse. Photo by Jerry Kelly/T.G.Sportstv1.

Zidek's jump shot had the Waves down 54-39. Holmgren, from Gonzaga, made a three-point shot making the score 57-39, and Pepperdine called a time-out.

Mallette made two free throws that made the score 57-41. Mallette would make a jump shot, which had Pepperdine trailing by ten points, 57-47, and Gonzaga called timeout.

Timme was fouled on his layup and made his free throw that put Gonzaga up 60-49. The Bulldogs led 62-51 with a reverse layup by Julian Strawther.

Strawther layup made the score 64-51, with 10:14 left in the game. Pepperdine was down 66-54 after a three-pointer by Polk Jr. Gonzaga led by fourteen points, 70-56, with a layup by Watson.

Timme's layup had the Bulldogs up 76-56 with 5:09 left in the game. The Waves trail 78-57 with another layup by Timme. Zidek made two free throws that made the score 80-59.

Mallette's two free throws had Pepperdine trailing 82-61 with 2:34 left in the game. Zidek layup made the score 84-63. Victor Ohia Obioha's basket made the final score 86-66.