Gonzaga dominates the second half to beat Pepperdine 86-61

Pepperdine Waves #21Nils Cooper (G) is driving down the baseline and being guarded by Gonzaga Bulldogs #13 Graham Ike (F) and #11 Nolan Hickman (G). Photo by Skylar Blackmon/TGSportstv1.

MALIBU, CA - No ball movement and poor shooting in the second half allowed the Gonzaga Bulldogs (12-5, WCC 3-1) to beat the Pepperdine Waves (9-11, WCC, 2-3) 86-61 at Firestone Field House.

Jevon Porter led Pepperdine in scoring with 16 points, Mallette Houston with 9 points, and for Gonzaga, Graham Ike with 24 points, Nolan Hickman with 19 points, and Anton Watson with 16 points.

The Waves shot 46.88 percent in the first half, making 15 of 32 shots, 6 of 12 from three-point range, 50% percent, but in the second half made only 22 of 56 shots for 39.38 percent, and three-point range, 6 of 18 for 33.3 percent.

Porter from Pepperdine talked about why they played poorly in the second half in the video below.

The Bulldogs came out smoking in the second half, making 19 of 27 shots from the floor 70.37% percent, three-point range 8 for 20 40% percent, and dominated the paint 42-22.

Gonzaga would lead 20-13 in the first half with a jump shot by Braden Huff. Pepperdine trailed 28-24 after Jevon Porter made a layup.

Houston Malette's three-pointer had the Waves trailing by three points,30-27, with 5:28 left in the game. Pepperdine would take their first lead, 32-31, with a three-pointer by Porter, and Gonzaga called a timeout.

The Bulldogs would tie the game 35-35 with a jump shot by Anton Watson. The Waves went up 37-35 with a jump shot by Michael Ajayi.

Gonzaga regained the lead 38-37 with a jump shot by Watson and a free throw after being fouled on the shot. The first half ended with the game tied 40-40 after Nolan Hickman's jump shot.

Pepperdine Waves #13 Cord Stansberry (G) jump shot in front of his bench while the Gonzaga Bulldogs #11 Nolan Hickman (G) is watching. Photo by Skylar Blackmon/TGSportstv1.

The Bulldogs would score first in the second half with a hook shot by Watson to lead 42-40. Ethan Anderson's bank shot had the Pepperdine behind 46-42.

Gonzaga forced the Waves to call a timeout after a monster dunk by Graham Ike had them leading by nine points, 51-42, with 13:48 left in the game.

Ryan Nembhard took a three-pointer at the top of the key to give Gonzaga a 58-43 lead.

Hickman would drive to the basket from the left side of the court and fouled on his made layup, made his free throw, and gave the Bulldogs a 63-46 lead.

Pepperdine fell behind by 20 points, 68-48, with a layup by Boubacar Coulibaly. Cord Stansberry would knock down a jump shot from the right side of the court to have the Waves down 72-52.

 Gonzaga would go on a 14-9 run to close out the game and bounce back into the win column with the 86-61 win over Pepperdine.