West Central Reporter

Macomb, Ill - The Western Illinois University (WIU) men's basketball team concluded their west coast trip with a loss to Pepperdine on Wednesday night. Sean Smith led the Leathernecks with 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

The game began slowly for both teams. Pepperdine led 13-11 with 13:02 left in the first half. WIU went scoreless for four minutes, allowing the Waves to extend their lead to 18-11. A three-pointer by Marko Maletic ended WIU's drought after a Pepperdine turnover. Rodrick Payne contributed five points, followed by back-to-back threes from Julius Rollins and Ryan Myers, which helped WIU gain a 25-22 lead with 4:17 remaining in the half. However, Pepperdine responded with a 12-2 run to close the half at 34-27.

In the second half, Pepperdine extended their lead with a 10-2 run. WIU managed to reduce the deficit multiple times but could not get closer than eight points. With less than four minutes left, Pepperdine increased their lead again to 71-56. Despite efforts from Maletic and Smith, who scored key baskets late in the game, WIU ultimately fell short with a final score of 77-64.

Smith scored 12 points in the second half on 5/9 shooting, while Maletic added ten points during this period. The Leathernecks shot 41% overall and capitalized on Pepperdine's turnovers but still lost despite committing only nine turnovers themselves.

Western Illinois will host Green Bay next Wednesday at Western Hall for their home opener scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

For more information on Leatherneck Basketball or updates, visit GoLeathernecks.com or follow them on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.