Halftime Report
Pepperdine fell flat on their face against the Gaels last Thursday, but memory of that harsh loss doesn't seem to have tripped them up today. Pepperdine has a bit of a cushion as they currently lead the Pilots 52-36.
Pepperdine came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.
Who's Playing
Portland Pilots @ Pepperdine Waves
Current Records: Portland 9-18, Pepperdine 10-17
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 10 p.m. ET
- Where: Firestone Fieldhouse -- Malibu, California
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $49.00
What to Know
After two games on the road, Pepperdine is heading back home. They and the Portland Pilots will face off in a West Coast battle at 10:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse. Given that the pair suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
The matchup between Pepperdine and the Gaels on Thursday hardly resembled the 73-44 effort from their previous meeting. The Waves were completely outmatched by the Gaels on the road and fell 103-59. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Pepperdine in their matchups with the Gaels: they've now lost five in a row.
Meanwhile, Portland's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their third straight defeat. They took a 71-66 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Toreros. The loss hurts even more since Portland was up 46-33 with 17:59 left in the second.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Tyler Harris, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and ten rebounds. He didn't help Portland's cause all that much against the Dons back in January but the same can't be said for this game. Another player making a difference was Bol Dengdit, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten rebounds.
Even though they lost, Portland smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
The Waves have traveled a rocky road recently having lost seven of their last eight matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-17 record this season. As for the Pilots, their loss dropped their record down to 9-18.
Looking ahead, Pepperdine is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 5.5 points. There could be an interesting gambling play in this one: they are10-15 against the spread overall, but a solid 7-4 when expected to win.
Pepperdine came up short against the Pilots in their previous meeting two weeks ago, falling 93-89. Will Pepperdine have more luck at home instead of on the road?
Odds
Pepperdine is a solid 5.5-point favorite against Portland, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Waves as a 6.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 154 points.
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Series History
Pepperdine has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Portland.
- Feb 03, 2024 - Portland 93 vs. Pepperdine 89
- Feb 04, 2023 - Pepperdine 94 vs. Portland 93
- Jan 21, 2023 - Portland 91 vs. Pepperdine 76
- Feb 19, 2022 - Portland 77 vs. Pepperdine 74
- Jan 15, 2022 - Portland 82 vs. Pepperdine 63
- Feb 06, 2021 - Pepperdine 91 vs. Portland 70
- Jan 16, 2021 - Pepperdine 80 vs. Portland 65
- Feb 20, 2020 - Pepperdine 66 vs. Portland 59
- Jan 25, 2020 - Pepperdine 80 vs. Portland 69
- Feb 23, 2019 - Pepperdine 86 vs. Portland 80