Gonzaga @ Pepperdine preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 28, 2017 ) Gonzaga 96, Pepperdine 49

No. 19 Gonzaga will look to defeat Pepperdine for the 34th consecutive time when it visits the cozy on-campus gymnasium in Malibu on Thursday for a West Coast Conference matchup. The Bulldogs have won their last 15 road meetings with Pepperdine and are 37-2 in the overall series during coach Mark Few's tenure.

Gonzaga squashed Pacific (81-48) and Santa Clara (101-52) in its first two WCC games and already has topped 100 points a school-record five times. The Bulldogs recorded a season-best 28 assists and committed just seven turnovers while forcing 21 in Saturday's steamrolling of Santa Clara. Pepperdine hasn't defeated a ranked opponent since upsetting Wisconsin during the 2004-05 campaign. The Waves have dropped five consecutive games and began WCC play with setbacks against Santa Clara (72-65) and San Diego (74-66).

TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT GONZAGA (12-3, 2-0 WCC): Guard Zach Norvell Jr. moved into the starting lineup due to an ankle injury suffered by fellow freshman Corey Kispert, who has since returned, and is averaging 17.3 points over his last nine games. Norvell has topped 20 points four times during the span - including efforts of 22 against Villanova and San Diego State - to raise his average to 13.2, which is third-best on the squad. Josh Perkins leads the Bulldogs with a 14-point average and has drained a team-high 48 3-pointers while Johnathan Williams is averaging 13.6 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE (3-11, 0-2): The Waves have been hurt by the recent loss of two starters as leading scorer Kameron Edwards (15.9 points, 6.8 rebounds) has missed five consecutive games due to a concussion while Amadi Udenyi (2.7 points, 3.4 assists) has sat out two straight with an ankle injury. Colbey Ross (14.3 points, 5.3 assists) has provided solid play as he contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Saturday's loss. Fellow freshman guard Kaijae Yee-Stephens (knee) missed the first 13 games of the season before scoring nine points in 28 minutes against San Diego.

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga rolled to a 96-49 victory in last season's visit to Pepperdine.

2. Bulldogs senior G Silas Melson is 22-of-37 shooting in seven career contests against the Waves.

3. The Waves are averaging 66.2 points during their five-game slide.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 97, Pepperdine 66