
Pepperdine
(+11.5)

Seattle
(-11.5)
Highlights
Summary
SEATTLE (Interstat) ā Jun Seok Yeoās layup with 10 seconds remaining lifted Seattle to an 83-81 menās basketball victory over Pepperdine on Wednesday night at Key Arena. The Redhawks, who led 44-43 at halftime, survived a late push from the Waves. Aaron Clark led Pepperdine with 22 points. Yeo paced Seattle with 18 points. The Waves shot 43.1% from the field but were outscored 46-26 in the paint. Seattle improved to 15-9 overall, while Pepperdine fell to 6-18. Attendance was 1,079.
Extended Summary
SEATTLE (Interstat) ā In a game defined by its final, frantic seconds, the Seattle Redhawks escaped with an 83-81 victory over the Pepperdine Waves on Wednesday night at Key Arena, a result that hinged on a critical defensive stop and a pair of clutch free throws in the closing moments. The contest, a tense, back-and-forth affair that featured 15 lead changes and neither team leading by more than seven points, was ultimately decided in the final six seconds. With Seattle clinging to an 82-81 lead after Pepperdineās Styles Phipps missed a potential go-ahead driving layup that was blocked by Seattleās Will Heimbrodt, the Redhawks secured the defensive rebound. Pepperdineās Aaron Clark then fouled Seattleās Brayden Maldonado with six ticks remaining. Maldonado, a guard from Anchorage, Alaska, missed the first free throw but calmly sank the second to push the Seattle lead to two points. Pepperdineās final attempt, a desperation three-pointer from Javon Cooley as time expired, missed the mark, sealing the win for the home team before a crowd of 1,079. The dramatic finish capped a game where Pepperdineās efficiency from the free throw line and beyond the arc nearly offset Seattleās superior shooting from the field and significant advantage in interior defense. The Waves connected on 23 of 26 free throws and made 8 three-pointers, while the Redhawks struggled from deep, hitting only 4 of 17. However, Seattleās 28-for-57 performance from the floor and six blocked shots, three from Heimbrodt, provided a crucial counterbalance. Pepperdineās offensive effort was spearheaded by a trio of double-digit scorers. Aaron Clark, a 6-foot-6 guard from Easton, Pennsylvania, led all scorers with 22 points in 37 minutes, adding four assists. Forward Danilo Dozic of Belgrade, Serbia, contributed 16 points and four assists, while Israeli forward Yonatan Levy posted 13 points, four assists and a block. Styles Phipps of Phoenix added 18 points for the Waves. Seattle countered with a more balanced, inside-oriented attack. Jun Seok Yeo, a forward from Seoul, South Korea, led the Redhawks with 18 points. He was supported by a quartet of players scoring 13 points each: Houran Dan of China, Will Heimbrodt of San Anselmo, California, Brayden Maldonado, and John Christofilis. Point guard Maleek Arington of Auburn, Washington, orchestrated the offense with a game-high eight assists. The gameās tempo was established early, with both teams trading baskets and the lead throughout a first half that ended with Seattle ahead 44-43. The second half followed a similar pattern, setting the stage for the final sequence. Pepperdineās last lead came at 81-80 after a Danilo Dozic three-pointer with just over a minute to play. Seattleās Jun Seok Yeo answered with a putback layup with 10 seconds left to reclaim the lead at 82-81, directly preceding the decisive defensive stand and free throws. Statistically, the game was a study in contrasts. Pepperdine posted a slightly better offensive rating, scoring 106.1 points per 100 possessions to Seattleās 104.1, but committed 13 turnovers against only seven assists. Seattle, while also turnover-prone with 14, dominated the paint and protected the rim effectively. The Waves fall to 6-18 on the season, while the Redhawks improve to 15-9. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the last minute. After Dozicās three-pointer gave Pepperdine a one-point lead, Seattle worked the clock down. A missed shot was followed by an offensive rebound and a quick putback by Yeo to put Seattle back up by one. On the ensuing possession, Pepperdine went to Phipps, who drove aggressively but had his shot emphatically rejected by Heimbrodt. The scramble for the loose ball led to Maldonado being fouled, and his composure at the line under immense pressure provided the final margin. Pepperdine will look to rebound at home against Pacific on Saturday. Seattle continues its conference schedule on the road at Portland, also on Saturday.
Preview
SEATTLE (Interstat) ā The Seattle Redhawks, looking to solidify their position in the upper tier of the conference, host the struggling Pepperdine Waves in a menās NCAA Division I basketball matchup Wednesday night at Key Arena. Seattle (14-9) enters having lost three of its last four, including a 58-70 defeat at Washington State last Wednesday. The Redhawks have struggled offensively during that stretch, failing to reach 60 points in three of those contests. Guard Maleek Arington, a key facilitator, will look to jumpstart the attack. He is averaging 3.3 assists per game but has been held to single-digit scoring in six straight outings. Pepperdine (6-17) seeks to halt a five-game skid, most recently falling 88-92 in overtime to San Diego on Jan. 28. The Waves have allowed 80 or more points in four of those five losses. Their bright spot has been the high-scoring play of guard Aaron Clark, who is coming off a career-best 31-point performance in the overtime loss. Clark has averaged 15.2 points over his last six games and will be the focal point of the Pepperdine offense. The Wavesā defense, which ranks near the bottom of the conference, faces a Seattle team that has been strong at home, boasting notable wins over San Diego and Loyola Marymount at Key Arena this season. The Redhawks won the first meeting between these teams last season, 78-69. For Pepperdine, containing Seattleās balance beyond Arington will be critical. Austin Maurer (10 points vs. WSU) and Brayden Maldonado (12 points vs. WSU) have provided supplemental scoring. Pepperdine will need similar support for Clark from players like Styles Phipps, who dished nine assists last game, and Danilo Dozic. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST. The Redhawks will hit the road to face Portland on Saturday, while Pepperdine returns home to host Pacific on Feb. 7. The teams will meet again in Malibu on Feb. 25.