Pepperdine 59, Pomona-Pitzer 50

Published Nov. 13, 2011 12:28 a.m. ET

foxsports

Caleb Willis scored 18 points to lead Pepperdine to a 59-50 victory over Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday night in the season opener for both schools.

Taylor Darby added 14 points and six rebounds, while Corbin Moore pulled down 10 boards for the Waves.

Pomona-Pitzer, a Division III school in Claremont, Calif., was led by Greg Wright's 12 points and Po Grant's 11.

The Sagehens led 36-34 with eight minutes to play, but the Waves went on a 9-0 run to go ahead for good. Willis' fourth 3-pointer made it 48-38 with 3:12 remaining.

Neither team shot well, as Pomona-Pitzer was at 38.2 percent to Pepperdine's 34.6 percent. The Waves had big advantages in rebounding (42-29) and at the foul line, where they went 17 for 21 to the Sagehens' 0 for 1.