LAS VEGAS — In an exciting quarterfinal matchup of the West Coast Conference Tournament, Pepperdine emerged victorious with a 78-76 upset against Santa Clara on Sunday night. Moe Odum starred for the ninth-seeded Waves, recording an impressive double-double with 19 points and 13 assists, contributing significantly to the triumph.
Following this victory, Pepperdine, with a 13-21 record, is set to challenge the top-seeded Saint Mary’s in the semifinals on Monday. Their path to this point included an opening 86-73 win against the eighth seed, followed by a 77-73 victory over the fifth-seeded Oregon State.
Beyond scoring, Odum also added five rebounds to his strong performance. Stefan Todorovic contributed by sinking three shots from beyond the arc and tallying 19 points himself, while Dovydas Butka added 13 points to the Waves’ cause.
For the Broncos, who finished their season with a 20-12 record, Tyeree Bryan led the scoring with 18 points. Brenton Knapper made a significant contribution with 17 points, and Johnny O’Neil came just shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
The game was tightly contested, with Pepperdine trailing 40-36 at the halftime break. However, a 7-0 spurt in the second half helped the Waves seize a 58-56 advantage with 9:15 remaining on the clock. Zion Bethea’s crucial free throws with only three seconds remaining extended Pepperdine’s lead to five points. Although Bryan managed to sink a last-second three-pointer, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Waves’ lead.
With determination and teamwork, Pepperdine successfully advances, ready to face the looming challenge of top seeds in the forthcoming semifinal clash.
