Pepperdine University’s men’s basketball team lost to Abilene Christian University on Tuesday night at Firestone Fieldhouse, with a final score of 71-63. The Waves, now holding a 3-6 record, trailed by as many as 21 points late in the game but mounted a comeback attempt that brought them within six points in the final minute.
Head coach Ed Schilling commented on the team’s effort: “Obviously, I am disappointed with the loss, but I was pleased with how we fought back and with how we executed the last 8-10 minutes of the game. I believe that we can build on that.”
Styles Phipps led Pepperdine in scoring with 19 points, also contributing four rebounds and five assists. He set a personal best by making three out of four three-point attempts. Aaron Clark added 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Waves.
The first half saw both teams struggle offensively before Abilene Christian took control with a series of successful three-point shots. Pepperdine responded with its own run but went into halftime trailing 35-28.
Abilene Christian extended its lead early in the second half before Phipps scored nine consecutive points for Pepperdine to help close the gap. Despite holding Abilene Christian without a field goal for the final 6:45 of play and cutting the deficit to six points late in the contest, Pepperdine was unable to complete the comeback.
Other notable performances included Danilo Dozic’s nine points and four rebounds, Javon Cooley’s nine points and perfect free throw shooting (4-for-4), Yonatan Levy’s four points off the bench, and Luka Vudragovic’s five points including one three-pointer. The Waves converted 19 out of 25 free throws and made at least five three-pointers for their ninth consecutive game this season.
Abilene Christian narrowly won the rebounding battle by two boards. Pepperdine attempted only 45 shots from the field—a season low—and will next host Vermont on Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse.
“Pepperdine men’s basketball has made 13 NCAA postseason appearances while earning 12 WCC Regular-Season Championships and three WCC Tournament Championships in its history. This success has spanned multiple decades, with the Waves most recently winning the 2021 CBI Tournament. The program has also seen 19 All-Americans along with 19 NBA players, which included a streak of 34 consecutive seasons with at least one alum on an NBA roster from 1976-2011.”
For more information about tickets for upcoming home games or to follow team updates online, fans are encouraged to visit official sources or follow @PepperdineMBB on social media.
