STOCKTON, Calif. -- The Pacific men's basketball team returned to the win column Thursday evening, taking down Pepperdine, 81-76, in a West Coast Conference matchup at the Alex G. Spanos Center.
 
The Tigers (7-14, 2-5) fell behind early as the Waves (6-18, 0-10) had the hot hand in the first half. The Waves held the lead for the entire first half as the Tigers missed their first 10 shot attempts, leading to a 12-point deficit in the first three minutes of the first half. The Waves connected on 56.7 percent (17-for-30) from the field during the first 20 minutes of play, knocked down seven three-point baskets, and held the Tigers to just 30.6 percent (11-for-36) from the field.
 
Luke Avdalovic paved the way for the Tigers in the first half, scoring a team-high eight points. Avdalovic, who missed the previous two games, finished the game with 13 points as he knocked down three three-point baskets and was perfect from the free-throw line (four-for-four).
 
The Waves pushed the lead to 13, 26-13, at the 9:33 mark of the first half before the Tigers cut the deficit to eight, 28-20 six minutes later. The Waves, however, responded and went on a 12-4 run, doubling the lead to 40-24 at the 3:14 mark, and had firm control of the game with a 44-29 advantage at the halftime break.
 
Despite a poor shooting performance in the first half, the Tigers responded in the second half, outscoring the Waves 17-0 in the first six minutes to take the lead, 46-44. Jeremiah Bailey and Nick Blake combined for 10 points during that stretch, as both finished with 20-point performances. Bailey scored 22 of his team-high 24 points in the second half, tying his season-high, as he was the focal point in the Tigers' second-half comeback. The senior from Fairbanks, Alaska, is averaging 10.9 points per game during conference play and is shooting at a 76.5 percent clip from the free-throw line in the last three games.
 
Blake also came alive in the second half, propelling the Tigers, as he scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half. Blake attacked the rim with ease throughout the game, getting fouled, as he reached a new career-high in made free throws with 10. The sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., is averaging 14.8 points per game in the last five games as he tallied his second 20-point performance in the previous three games.
 
The Tigers had four players reach double figures as Pierre Crockrell II scored 10 points and tallied a game-high six assists. Crockrell II leads the team with 91 total assists, averaging 4.3 assists per game, and was ranked third in the West Coast Conference in assists per game leading into tonight's game.
 
Pacific scored 52 points in the second half, outscoring Pepperdine by 20, as the Tigers scored the most points in any half this season. The Tigers also outscored the Waves in the paint, 38-22, and won the rebounding battle, 39-32.
 
"I was very impressed by the way the kids came out in the second half and competed," Head Coach Leonard Perry stated after the game. "They did it right from the jump, they didn't wait, and we got the ball right where we wanted it."
 
Pacific returns to action Saturday, Feb. 5, as the Tigers travel south to Malibu to take on Pepperdine for the second time this season. Tip-off at the Firestone Fieldhouse is slated for 5 p.m.