Pepperdine gets hot late to overcome 18-point deficit
PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Pepperdine Waves scored 50 second half points and overcame an 18-point deficit with nine minutes left in regulation to pull off an improbable 71-66 comeback win over the Portland Pilots Monday night at the Chiles Center.
Rico Tucker and Mike Hornbuckle did most of the damage for the Waves (8-17, 2-7 West Coast Conference) and finished with 17 and 16 points, respectively.
The Waves made four consecutive three-pointers to ignite the late rally and turn an 18-point deficit into a two-point game with 6:53 remaining. Hornbuckle hit two in a row during that run and then hit his fourth of the game to make it 64-61 with 2:47 remaining.
Tucker had a three-point play and then converted a steal into a layup to tie the game at 66 with 1:22 remaining. After a missed jumper by Nik Raivio, Malcolm Thomas finished in the lane with 34 seconds left to give Pepperdine its first lead since the 16:24 mark of the first half.
Another Portland turnover led to a foul and Tucker made one of two from the line with 11 seconds remaining. Raivio’s three at the other end was off the mark and Tucker made two more to seal the win.
“I felt we were fortunate to be up (by 18 points) with the way were playing,” Portland coach Eric Reveno said. “There wasn’t an individual on our team playing well. I wasn’t surprised that they made a run. Against an offensively explosive team, if you give them a chance, the poor play will catch up with you. Give them credit, on the flip side of us not making plays is them making plays took it from us.”
The Pilots (8-17, 2-7) seemed to be in control from the opening tip as the Waves struggled to 26 percent shooting in the first half and Portland owned a 26-10 advantage in rebounds at the break. But Portland struggled to create separation with 12 first half turnovers and only led 33-21 at the half.
Pepperdine’s leading scorer, freshman Tyrone Shelley, struggled throughout and did not score before fouling out with 12:22 remaining in regulation, but the Waves rode Hornbuckle and Tucker down the stretch.
Raivio led the Pilots with 17 points and Robin Smeulders added 16. Portland finished the game with a 39-24 edge on the boards, but committed 23 turnovers. The Pilots shot 41 percent for the game compared to Pepperdine’s 42 percent. The Waves shot 58 percent in the second half, including 7-of-13 from three-point range.
The Pilots will look to bounce back this weekend when they travel to San Diego for a Saturday matchup that tips off at 6 p.m. The game will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet. Portland will then face San Francisco on Monday at 7 p.m. in another televised game on CSN.
