Women’s basketball looks to build on a breakthrough season, while men’s tennis players wrap up competition in Las Vegas
Pepperdine men’s basketball opened its season with a spirited comeback at Cornell but fell one point short, while the women’s team prepared to tip off a new campaign following one of its strongest seasons in recent years. On the tennis courts, David Fix and Photos Photiades represented the Waves at the M25 Las Vegas tournament as the fall schedule drew to a close.
Men’s basketball nearly completes comeback at Cornell
Pepperdine erased a 15-point second-half deficit but fell 86-85 at Cornell in its season opener.
Freshman Alex Constanza led the Waves with 25 points and nine rebounds in his collegiate debut, scoring 21 points after halftime. He played 21 minutes off the bench and helped drive a late rally that briefly put Pepperdine ahead.
Trailing by double digits with seven minutes remaining, the Waves closed the game on a 15-5 run. Constanza’s driving layup gave Pepperdine an 85-84 lead with 40 seconds left, but Cornell answered to regain the advantage.
The Waves had one final opportunity after Cornell missed the front end of a one-and-one with 5.9 seconds remaining. Oliver Kanden’s last-second 3-point attempt missed, allowing the Big Red to escape with the victory.
Five Waves scored in double figures. Petar Majstorovic finished with 15 points, Evan Haywood added 14, Jahari Williamson scored 13, and Will McClendon contributed 10. Haywood also collected five rebounds and a career-high four steals.
Cornell made 14 of 29 attempts from beyond the arc, while Pepperdine connected on eight of 30. The Waves held a 38-32 rebounding advantage and outscored Cornell 23-12 on second-chance opportunities.
“We have a great group of young men who I believe in — and we are just beginning this team’s journey,” head coach Griff Aldrich said.
Aldrich praised his players’ fight but said the team needed to compete with greater purpose on both ends of the floor throughout the game.
Pepperdine hosts La Sierra in its home opener Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+.
Women’s basketball looks to build on breakthrough season
Pepperdine women’s basketball entered its scheduled Monday, Nov. 2, opener at Portland State looking to carry forward the momentum of a 21-win season.
The Waves finished 21-13 overall and 10-8 in conference play last season, reaching the Super 16 of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament to match the longest postseason run in program history. Pepperdine also hosted its first postseason games in Malibu, winning both contests at Firestone Fieldhouse.
Head coach Katie Faulkner’s team returns seven players, including three starters. Elli Guiney and Lina Falk earned preseason All-West Coast Conference recognition after leading the Waves in scoring last season.
Guiney averaged 15 points per game and made 72 3-pointers, the second-highest single-season total in program history. Falk averaged 11.7 points and shot 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Picked fourth in the WCC preseason poll, Pepperdine adds newcomers including Washington State transfer Keandra Koorits and Maggie Mendelson, whose athletic career includes a 2024 NCAA volleyball championship at Penn State.
Koorits appeared in all 34 games for Washington State last season, averaging 6.7 points per game. Mendelson brings experience from both collegiate and professional volleyball, most recently playing for the Atlanta Vibe.
The season also brings a change of home court. The Waves are scheduled to begin play at the new 3,600-seat Mountain at Mullin Park on Dec. 6 against Boise State.
Fix, Photiades compete in Las Vegas
David Fix and Photos Photiades represented Pepperdine men’s tennis at the M25 Las Vegas tournament as the fall schedule moved toward its conclusion.
Fix won both qualifying matches, defeating Andre Alcantara 6-2, 6-1, and Stiles Brockett 6-4, 6-3. Brockett was a starter on Virginia’s NCAA championship team last season.
Fix then pushed Luca Preda to three sets before falling 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.
Photiades, a native of Dali, Cyprus, opened qualifying with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-6 victory over Pablo Aunion Duran before falling to Noah Johnston in the next round.
Pepperdine’s fall schedule continues Nov. 5-8 with the ITA West Sectional Championships, SoCal Invitational and ITA Conference Masters.