Half-time report
Only one half remains between Santa Clara and the victory they were favored to achieve tonight. Sitting on a score of 52-43, they appear to be the better team, but there is still a half to play.
Santa Clara came into the game having won five straight and they are only one half back. Will they make it six, or will Pepperdine step in and ruin it? We will know soon.
Who’s playing
Pepperdine Waves @ Santa Clara Broncos
Current records: Pepperdine 6-7, Santa Clara 8-5
How to watch
What you need to know
Pepperdine has played five home games but will have to dust off its road jersey soon. They and the Santa Clara Broncos will face off in a West Coast battle Saturday at 7 p.m. ET at the Leavey Center. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both have posted high point totals in their previous matches.
Pepperdine will head into Saturday’s game: They suffered a three-point loss in their last game, but they certainly didn’t let that happen against UC Davis on Saturday. Pepperdine took its game in stride, earning an 85-46 victory over UC Davis. Oddsmakers were on the Waves’ side, but they didn’t give the team enough credit because the margin was surprisingly wide.
Pepperdine earned its victory thanks to several key players, but it was Dovydas Butka leading the way who had a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds. The team also got some help from Jaxon Olvera, who went 6 of 8 on his way to 15 points plus three steals.
Pepperdine worked as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. They easily outscored their opponents in this department as UC Davis only posted five.
In the meantime, winning is always nice, but doing it behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Santa Clara). They beat South Dakota 98-81 on Saturday. Winning may never get old, but the Broncos are certainly getting used to it with their fifth in a row.
Santa Clara’s victory was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the standouts came from Adama-Alpha Bal, who went 8 of 13 en route to 20 points plus five assists and five rebounds. This is the most assists Bal has posted since January. Another player who made the difference was Johnny O’Neil, who went 5 for 8 on his way to 15 points, plus six assists and five rebounds.
Pepperdine has performed well recently as they have won four of their last five games, which significantly improved their record to 6-7 this season. As for Santa Clara, their victory was their third in a row at home, which improved their record to 8-5.
Rebounding will likely be a big factor in this contest: Pepperdine has crashed the boards this season, averaging 38 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Santa Clara struggled in this department, as its average was 38.9. As both teams fight to recover missed shots, we’ll see if one team can take the lead.
Pepperdine should know they are fighting an uphill battle given the 16-point gap they face.
Odds
Santa Clara is a big favorite with 16 points against Pepperdine, according to the latest college basketball odds.
Oddsmakers had a good idea of the line for this one, as the game opened with the Broncos as 15.5-point favorites.
The over/under is 150.5 points.
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History of the series
Santa Clara has won 6 of its last 10 games against Pepperdine.
- January 25, 2024 – Santa Clara 94 vs. Pepperdine 71
- January 6, 2024 – Santa Clara 78 vs. Pepperdine 72
- February 23, 2023 – Santa Clara 91 vs. Pepperdine 82
- January 5, 2023 – Santa Clara 89 vs. Pepperdine 79
- February 24, 2022 – Santa Clara 89 vs. Pepperdine 73
- March 6, 2021 – Pepperdine 78 vs. Santa Clara 70
- February 20, 2021 – Santa Clara 86 vs. Pepperdine 82
- March 6, 2020 – Pepperdine 84 vs. Santa Clara 73
- February 6, 2020 – Pepperdine 91 vs. Santa Clara 77
- January 23, 2020 – Pepperdine 90 vs. Santa Clara 86