Scott, LMU visit Pepperdine
Loyola Marymount (7-10, 1-2) vs. Pepperdine (8-9, 1-2)
Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, California; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two junior guards will be on display as Eli Scott and Loyola Marymount will go up against Colbey Ross and Pepperdine. Scott has scored 25 percent of the team’s points this season and is averaging 15.6 over his last five games. Ross is averaging 20.4 points and 7.6 assists over the last five games.
TEAM LEADERS: Pepperdine’s Ross has averaged 19.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists while Kessler Edwards has put up 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds. For the Lions, Scott has averaged 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists while Ivan Alipiev has put up 10.8 points and four rebounds.
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS: The Waves have given up just 70.7 points per game across three conference games, an improvement from the 78.6 per game they gave up to non-conference foes.
OFFENSIVE THREAT: Ross has accounted for 57 percent of all Pepperdine field goals over the last five games. The junior guard has 29 field goals and 38 assists in those games.
DEFENSIVE DISRUPTION: Pepperdine is 5-0 when holding opponents to 42.2 percent or worse from the field, and 3-9 when opponents shoot better than that. Loyola Marymount is 5-0 when allowing 41.3 percent or less and 2-10 whenever opponents exceed that mark.
UNDEFEATED WHEN: The Waves are 5-0 when holding opponents to 42.2 percent or worse from the field, and 3-9 when opponents shoot better than that. The Lions are 5-0 when they hold opponents to a field goal percentage of 41.3 percent or worse, and 2-10 when opponents exceed that percentage.
TOUGH DEFENSE: Loyola Marymount has forced opponents into committing turnovers on 20.9 percent of all possessions, the second-highest rate among all WCC teams.