Nov. 12, 2007

Box Score

Eugene, Ore. - The Pacific men's basketball team improved to 2-1 with an 84-76 win over Pepperdine on Nov. 12 in Eugene, Ore. on McArthur Court. The Waves fell to 0-3 with the loss.

Junior Steffan Johnson (Kent, Wash.) scored a career-high 32 points for the Tigers in the victory. His 32 points are the highest Tiger point total since Christian Maraker scored 34 points at Western Kentucky on Dec. 10, 2005.

The Tigers never trailed in the game, as Johnson scored 13 of Pacific's first 15 points to grab an early 15-7 lead. The Waves then outscored the Tigers 16-10 to cut Pacific's lead to 25-23 with 7:50 left in the first half. A 10-3 spurt took the Tigers to their biggest lead of the first half at 35-26 with 2:57 remaining and led 38-33 at the break.

In the second half, after the Waves cut the Tigers' lead to 56-52, Pacific went on a 10-2 run keyed by five more points from Johnson to take a 66-54 lead with 8:27 remaining. Pacific's lead would not fall below eight the rest of the way.

Johnson was joined in double figures by junior Bryan LeDuc (Corona, Calif.) with 12 points and junior Michael Nunnally (Stockton, Calif.) with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Pacific held Pepperdine to a .391 field goal percentage, while shooting .473. For the game, the Tigers were 5-of-11 from three-point range, but took just one three-pointer in the second half. Pacific held a 42-33 rebounding advantage.

Johnson was Pacific's only selection on the World Vision Invitational All-Tournament team.

Pacific is next in action with a home game against Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Alex G. Spanos Center.