MALIBU, Calif. --- Sophomore forward Ethan Niedermeyer came off the bench to score 16 points and help the Portland Pilots to an 82-78 victory over the Pepperdine Waves in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools on Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse. Senior Sherrard Watson led the Pilots with a season-high 22 points.

The Pilots (6-10, 1-0 WCC) picked up their second road win of the year and fifth straight victory over Pepperdine. The Waves (6-11, 0-1) drop to 2-2 on their home floor this season.

It was a back-and-forth affair down the stretch before Watson and the Pilots pushed the margin to seven and held on for the victory with free throws in the final two minutes.

Pepperdine used a 14-6 run over the first three minutes of the second half to cut a nine-point deficit to one at 45-44. Portland sophomore Nik Raivio answered with consecutive runners and a three-pointer to push it back to 52-44. Raivio finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists and just one turnover.

“We knew that no lead was safe in this game,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said. “They are a dangerous team that can score in bunches, but our guys made enough plays down the stretch to get the win.”

The Waves took their first lead of the game at 53-52 with 12:01 left in the game on a pair of free throws by Daniel Johnson and then went up three on a layup by Rico Tucker. Walter Thompson drained a three to tie it and after a pair of Pepperdine free throws, Watson took over.

He answered with a fast break layup followed by a steal and three-point play to take the lead back at 60-57. Pepperdine temporarily regained the lead on free throws by Tyrone Shelley, but the Pilots quickly with a runner by Robin Smeulders and two more baskets by Watson. He hit a pair of free throws to make it 73-66 with 2:51 remaining and UP would nail free throws down the stretch to earn the win.

Shelley recorded a game-high 23 points for the Waves, while Jason Wahlberg and Rico Tucker added 14 each.

The 82 points scored was a season high for the Pilots. Portland also gained a 43-32 edge on the boards and collected a season-high 12 steals. Portland shot 45 percent from the field and held the Waves to 42 percent, but Pepperdine made 19-of-20 free throws.

Niedermeyer eclipsed his previous career high of 13 points in the first half alone. He drilled four of five three-pointers in the period and had 14 at the break. The Pilots largest first half lead came at 23-13 on a three by Raivio with 8:10 in the half, but Pepperdine trimmed the margin to 26-23 on a trey by Jon Reed. Portland finished with a flurry and used a 6-0 run capped by a Watson jumper to take a 39-30 lead into the break.

The Pilots will remain in Los Angeles and face the Loyola Marymount Lions on Monday at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPNU.