Pepperdine University’s women’s basketball team was defeated by Gonzaga University 75-52 on Tuesday night at the McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington. The loss drops Pepperdine’s record to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in West Coast Conference play, while Gonzaga improves to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in conference.
Head coach Katie Faulkner commented on the team’s performance: “Basketball is a game of runs. I think we had a few [runs] tonight that showed glimpses of the team we can be but we have to learn to do that consistently.”
Pepperdine trailed for nearly the entire game, tying only once early when Taija Sta. Maria scored to make it 2-2. Gonzaga responded with a 12-0 run, putting Pepperdine behind 14-2 before Elli Guiney hit a three-pointer. The Waves ended the first quarter trailing by just three points at 14-11 after scoring nine unanswered points.
In the second quarter, Sta. Maria led Pepperdine with five points, making both her shot attempts. Despite contributions from three other players, Pepperdine shot just .250 from the field in the quarter compared to Gonzaga’s .500 shooting percentage. At halftime, Pepperdine trailed 33-22.
After an early timeout in the third quarter, Pepperdine went on an 11-4 run and narrowed the deficit to seven points at 40-33. However, a series of fouls resulted in seven free throws for Gonzaga, allowing them to extend their lead to 55-35 entering the fourth quarter.
Meghan Fiso scored five points for Pepperdine in the final period as Gonzaga maintained control and secured the win. The Waves struggled from three-point range throughout the game, making just four of their 22 attempts (.182), which marks their second lowest percentage this season. This loss also represents Pepperdine’s first set of back-to-back defeats during this campaign.
Sta. Maria finished as Pepperdine’s leading scorer with 16 points—the first time she has led the team this season. Freshman Ilinca Belegants recorded her first collegiate basket with a three-pointer in the fourth quarter. Despite committing only 12 turnovers—Pepperdine’s best mark against a Division I opponent this year—the Waves were outrebounded by Gonzaga 43-27, their lowest rebound total so far this season.
Pepperdine will return home for its next game against Saint Mary’s College on Friday night in Malibu. The event will feature a throwback theme and retro merchandise giveaways for early attendees; tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., with streaming available via ESPN+ and live statistics provided on pepperdinewaves.com.
Pepperdine women’s basketball has appeared in four NCAA postseason tournaments and has won both regular-season and tournament titles within its conference multiple times. The program also reached the Sweet Sixteen round of the WNIT Tournament in 2019.
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