Poor shooting dooms pepperdine : waves: they play without leading scorer dexter howard and make only 39% of field-goal attempts in 82-67 loss.


Poor shooting dooms pepperdine : waves: they play without leading scorer dexter howard and make only 39% of field-goal attempts in 82-67 loss.

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PORTLAND, Ore. — Pepperdine was missing two things Saturday night: leading scorer Dexter Howard and the basket. Portland’s Josh Lowery didn’t miss much. The senior guard from Oakland scored


22 points as the Pilots routed the Waves, 82-67, in a West Coast Conference game in front of 2,689 at Chiles Center. Howard, who was averaging 15 points, apparently pulled a tendon in his


left knee Thursday night against Gonzaga. It is unknown when he will return, and he will be examined by a physician Monday. Howard was missed against the Pilots but so were most of the shots


his teammates attempted. The Waves shot only 34.6% from the field in the first half and trailed at halftime, 40-27. Pepperdine improved to 42.4% in the second half and twice pulled to


within 10 points of the Pilots. But that was as close as the Waves could get. They wound up shooting 39%. Lowery made four of seven three-point shots and was eight of 14 from the field. The


victory enabled Portland (6-13, 3-3 in the conference) to sweep two games from Pepperdine (9-10, 3-3) for the first time since 1981. Pepperdine Coach Tom Asbury said that four Waves played


with the flu: Shann Ferch, Rick Welch, Geoff Lear and Doug Christie. “But that’s not an excuse,” he said. “We can make up a lot of excuses, but we just can’t be inconsistent and expect to


win on the road. “Despite all that, I think we’re a better team than we showed tonight.” Pepperdine’s Craig Davis scored 19 points on six-of-11 shooting. Ferch, who made three of six


three-point shots, cored 11. Portland’s Erik Spoelstra scored 14 points and Matt Houle and Steve Hutchinson had 12 apiece. Portland shot 53% (27 of 51) and outrebounded the Waves, 35-32.


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