MALIBU, Calif. ? A 22-point, five-assist effort by junior guard Krista Arase (Alhambra, CA/Keppel HS) was not quite enough as the under-sized CSUB women's basketball team fell 95-77 to Pepperdine University Friday in Malibu.
The Waves, a preseason pick to finish third in the West Coast Conference, improved to 2-1 on the season while the Roadrunners fell for the first time in 18 outings (dating back to last season).
Senior guard Daphanie Kennedy led five Waves in double figures with 24 points. Six-foot-three Miranda Ayim added 20 points and 6-4 Teisha George chipped in 16.
The ?Runners scored the first basket of the game and held tough against Pepperdine's size advantage, just 24-22 at the 9:26 mark. But from there the Waves began breaking apart the CSUB's defense, running off 17 straight points and eventually taking a 49-33 lead into the break.
Kennedy led the Waves' charge, knocking down her first seven shots, including four three's, for 18 first-half points. Ayim added 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting in the period.
Reenergized in the second half, the ?Runners cut the deficit to 51-40 at the 15:38 mark. But while CSUB's shooters finally found their touch, the Waves wouldn't lose their's, eventually pulling away for the 18-point win.
Supporting Arase's offensive output were junior guards Kelly Tarver (Valencia, CA) and Christine Kepenekian (Burbank, CA), who each chipped in 12 points, but were held to a combined 9-30 from the field.
With just one active player standing six-feet tall, the ?Runners were outmatched on the boards, 50-30.
CSUB will continue it's four-game road swing Tuesday when it travels to face UC Irvine. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Pepperdine 95, Cal State Bakersfield 77
CSUB (2-1) 77: ARASE 6-15 7-8 22; TARVER 5-20 1-1 12; KEPENEKIAN 4-10 3-5 12; BELT 4-11 2-3 11; JOHNSON 4-8 2-2 10; CARTER 2-4 0-0 4; LEON 0-1 2-4 2; WEST 1-3 0-0 2; JONES 1-3 0-0 2; WOODFOX 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-75 17-23 77.
PEPPERDINE (2-1) 95: KENNEDY 9-16 2-3 24; AYIM 8-10 4-4 20; GEORGE 5-7 6-7 16; MENTON 6-8 0-0 15; ROSS 3-10 2-2 10; WICKETT 3-7 2-2 8; JOHNSON 1-5 0-0 2; BRYANT 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 35-63 16-18 95.
HALFTIME: 49-33; 3-PT FG: CSUB 6-22 (ARASE 3-8; BELT 1-2; KEPENEKIAN 1-6; TARVER 1-5; LEON 0-1), Pepperdine 9-20 (KENNEDY 4-7; MENTON 3-5; ROSS 2-7; JOHNSON 0-1). FOULED OUT: CSUB-KEPENEKIAN Pepperdine-None. REBOUNDS: CSUB30 (KEPENEKIAN, Chris. 4; ARASE 4), Pepperdine 50 (AYIM, Miranda 14). ASSISTS: CSUB 11 (ARASE 5), Pepperdine 23 (ROSS 9). TOTAL FOULS: CSUB 19, Pepperdine 21. TECHNICAL FOULS: CSUB-None, Pepperdine-None. OFFICIALS: Caherine Cornell, Thomas Dubas, Lisa Ulmer. ATTENDANCE-385
