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Pepperdine Basketball: 2020-21 keys to pull off the upset over UCLA

By Chris Thedinga

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 19: Colbey Ross #4 of the Pepperdine Waves handles the ball against the USC Trojans during a college basketball game at Galen Center on November 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 19: Colbey Ross #4 of the Pepperdine Waves handles the ball against the USC Trojans during a college basketball game at Galen Center on November 19, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Pepperdine Basketball
Pepperdine Basketball (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

Pepperdine Basketball looks to pull off a major upset against the UCLA Bruins.

Pepperdine Basketball is coming off of a fourteen-point win over UC Irvine. The Waves were led by Kessler Edwards who had 20 points on 6-12 from the field. Talented point guard Colbey Ross added 13 points and eight assists. Although UC Irvine was within five at the half, it seemed as if Pepperdine was always in control. They shot it at a 50% clip from the field and led by 23 at one point in the second half.

The UCLA Bruins, on the other hand, suffered a fourteen-point loss to San Diego State to open the year. Not a lot went right for the Bruins, who turned the ball over a whole lot, and shot the ball at 28% in the final 32 minutes of the contest.

This highly anticipated in-state matchup will be one that Vegas favors UCLA quite heavily. However, Lorenzo Romar’s Waves have very different plans. It’s hard to believe that Romar has been in Malibu for five whole years now, but this looks like his best chance to make some noise.

This team has a real chance to be top two in the WCC if things go right and the team stays healthy. There were worries after Skylar Chavez opted out of the 2020-21 season, but Jade’ Smith hopped into that place without missing a beat going, 4-5 from the field in the opener.

Pepperdine has quite a different opponent in the Bruins than they saw in UC Irvine. UCLA has top-caliber talent and a few guys who could be playing in the NBA in a couple of years. Mick Cronin’s Bruins finished last season red-hot but struggled against SDSU in the opener.

Here are a few keys to the game for the Waves to knock off UCLA in game two of the 2020-21 season: