Saint Mary's (15-4, 2-2) vs. Pepperdine (8-9, 1-2)
Firestone Fieldhouse, Malibu, California; Saturday, 4 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two guards will be on display as Jordan Ford and Saint Mary's will face Colbey Ross and Pepperdine. The senior Ford has scored 28 percent of the team's points this season and is averaging 24.2 over his last five games. Ross, a junior, is averaging 20.4 points and 7.6 assists over the last five games.
SUPER SENIORS: Saint Mary's has benefited heavily from its seniors. Ford, Malik Fitts, Tanner Krebs, Tommy Kuhse and Dan Fotu have collectively accounted for 76 percent of the team's scoring this year and 100 percent of all Gaels points over the last five games.
CLAMPING DOWN: The Waves have allowed just 70.7 points per game across three conference games, an improvement from the 78.6 per game they allowed in non-conference play.
FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Ross has either made or assisted on 57 percent of all Pepperdine field goals over the last five games. Ross has accounted for 29 field goals and 38 assists in those games.
DEFENSIVE DISRUPTION: Pepperdine is 5-0 when holding opponents to 42.2 percent or worse from the field, and 3-9 when opponents shoot better than that. Saint Mary's is 12-0 when allowing 44.8 percent or less and 3-4 whenever opponents exceed that mark.
UNDEFEATED WHEN: The Waves are 5-0 when holding opponents to 42.2 percent or worse from the field, and 3-9 when opponents shoot better than that. The Gaels are 12-0 when they hold opponents to a field goal percentage of 44.8 percent or worse, and 3-4 when opponents exceed that percentage.
IMAGINE THAT: Each of these teams scored a grand total of 149 points against one another across two matchups last season.
