PEPPERDINE HAS EMPTY FEELING IN LOSS TO GONZAGA\GONZAGA 78, PEPPERDINE 66.

Byline: Kathy Orton Special to the Daily News

At just about the 14-minute mark of the second half, the Pepperdine offense began to sputter. With the gas tank reading empty and the red fuel light on, the Waves' shots started hitting the front of the rim instead of falling through the net.

Pretty soon, their 10-point lead had vanished. Gonzaga used Pepperdine's lack of depth to its advantage by substituting fresh bodies while the Waves' weary warriors were left gasping for air.

With a bench full of rested reserves, the Bulldogs outlasted Pepperdine 78-66 in front of 1,874 at Firestone Fieldhouse on Saturday night in a West Coast Conference game.

"(Lack of a bench) is always going to be a factor," Waves interim head coach Marty Wilson said. "Especially on back-to-back nights, especially on back-to-back physical nights."

Gonzaga's size and weight advantage proved too much for Pepperdine (9-11, 2-6). The Waves were worn down by the stronger, more aggressive Bulldogs (14-6, 5-3).

"It was real physical," Waves guard Gerald Brown said. "There was a lot of contact going on, big bodies banging."

Brown scored 21 points - his season average - in a balanced effort by the Waves, who had three players in double figures. Bryan Hill added 18 points and Marques Johnson 15.

Missed free throws usually indicate when a team becomes tired. Pepperdine shot 66.7 percent from the line in the first half, but just 42.9 percent in the second.

Each squad flexed its muscles early with short-lived scoring surges, then spent most of the first half trading baskets with one another until the Waves used a 13-3 run to pull away. But the Bulldogs, who were down by nine toward the end of the half, pulled within four after a basket by Paul Rogers and a 3-pointer by Jon Kinloch.

The Waves went ahead 10 after a jumper by Khary Hervey, but saw their lead collapse when Lorenzo Rollins, who was scoreless in the first half, started hitting 3-point baskets. Rollins finished with 21 points for Gonzaga, which was led by Rogers (25 points).

Pepperdine, which posted wins over Santa Clara and St. Mary's this past weekend on the road, hasn't been able to win a conference game at home this season.

"We have been playing pretty good on the road," Brown said. "I don't want to jinx it though."

The loss is the fifth consecutive home defeat for the Waves, which had never lost five in a row at home since the opening of Firestone Fieldhouse in 1973.