San Francisco's Junjie Wang stole the show at Firestone Fieldhouse, scoring 27 points and grabbing 5 rebounds to lead his team to a resounding 80-60 victory over Pepperdine. The Dons' impressive performance was fueled by Wang's hot shooting, which helped them build a significant lead early on. By halftime, San Francisco was already up 32-21, and they never looked back.
Pepperdine's Styles Phipps did his best to keep his team in the game, scoring 18 points and pulling down 9 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Dons' balanced attack. San Francisco's Tyrone Riley IV and David Fuchs also had notable performances, with Riley IV scoring 19 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, and Fuchs adding 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Waves struggled to find their rhythm on offense, scoring just 21 points in the first half. Despite a stronger second-half performance, in which they scored 39 points, they were unable to close the gap. Pepperdine's David Mager and Danilo Dožic chipped in with 13 and 11 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Dons' onslaught.
San Francisco's win improves their record to 13-9, and while it may not have been an upset, it's a significant result for their resume. The game was classified as a Quadrant 4 matchup for the Dons, but their dominant performance will likely help boost their NET ranking. For Pepperdine, the loss drops their record to 6-16, and it's a Quadrant 3 game that they would have liked to have won.
The Dons' convincing win will likely have implications for their tournament chances, as they continue to build a strong case for a postseason bid. With their NET ranking currently sitting at 99, San Francisco want to continue their strong play and improve their position in the standings. On the other hand, Pepperdine's loss is a setback, but it's not a devastating blow, given that it was a Quadrant 3 game.
In the end, San Francisco's impressive performance, led by Junjie Wang's standout game, was too much for Pepperdine to handle. The Dons' win is a reflection of their strength and depth, and it will be interesting to see how they build on this momentum in their upcoming games. As for Pepperdine, they'll look to regroup and bounce back from this loss, but for now, San Francisco is the team celebrating a convincing victory. The win is a significant boost to the Dons' resume, and it matters in their pursuit of a tournament bid.