He Pepperdine Waves Men's Basketball Team celebrated a historic victory in the first leg of the West Coast Conference Tournament in Las Vegas on Thursday afternoon, but it was the program's social media team that made waves online.
Led by sophomore Jevon Porter's 28 points, Pepperdine defeated Pacific in a record 102-43 victory, which included a spectacular 56-9 halftime lead.
Jevon Porter, No. 14 of the Pepperdine Waves, and Nolan Hickman, No. 11 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, fight for a loose ball during the first half at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on January 4, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Getty Images)
According to the school's website, the halftime lead marked a NCAA Division I record for the lowest points of a season scored in the first half.
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The 59-point margin at the end of the game also set a conference record for the largest margin in a WCC championship game. from gonzaga He previously set it in 2000 with 40 points.
However, it wasn't the team's stellar performance that set social media alight.
Pepperdine Waves guard Ethan Anderson, #20, controls the ball against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half at Spokane Arena. (James Snook-USA TODAY Sports)
The Pepperdine men's basketball social media page posted several X messages celebrating the team's victory and several witty responses to college basketball fans.
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Junior Michael Ajayi led Pepperdine with 17 rebounds, scoring 21 points and going 8 of 13 from the floor, including 1 of 3 from 3-point range and 4 of 6 from the line.
Porter added 11 rebounds to help Pepperdine advance to the next round, where the Waves will face fifth-seeded San Diego on Friday night.
“We just don't want it to be our last game,” Porter said Thursday. “We want to stay together for a while.”
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This season will be the last for coach Lorenzo Romar. The school announced Tuesday that the veteran head coach will not return after six years with the program.
Pepperdine Waves head coach Lorenzo Romar talks with Michael Ajayi, #1, during the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on January 4, 2024 in Spokane, Washington. (Robert Johnson/Getty Images)
“Pepperdine benefited greatly from Lorenzo Romar's leadership, both on and off the court, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for the way he loved his players, our basketball program and the university,” said Tim Perrin, senior vice president of strategy. implementation, he said.
“We love coach Romar. The things he does for us are extraordinary,” Ajayi added on Thursday. “Coming into this game, we just wanted to play for him. The passion we have for him is crazy. We just wanted to give it all our energy and we got the win.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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