San Diego gets past Pepperdine

Ross DeRogatis scored 22 points, including five three-point baskets, and San Diego defeated Pepperdine, 95-82, Friday night in the first round of the West Coast Conference tournament at Portland.

Marvin Lea had 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the eighth-seed Waves (8-23). Gregg Barlow, Willie Galick and Chase Griffin each had 12.

Gyno Pomare had 20 points and seven rebounds for the fifth-seeded Toreros, who advance to play fourth-seeded San Francisco today.

San Diego (17-13) was coming off a 74-64 loss to Gonzaga in its regular-season conference finale.

DeRogatis, the Toreros’ leading scorer at 15.4 points per game, made three three-pointers and had three steals in the first half.

San Diego, which shot 58.1%, led by as many 16 before halftime, but the Waves put together a 13-2 run going into the break and trailed, 48-41.

San Diego led, 62-50, with 14 minutes left after a three-point play from Nir Cohen and a three-pointer by DeRogatis.

The Waves stayed close -- Lea scored at 8:35 to cut the lead to 72-65 -- but Ray Murdock made a three-pointer and De’Jon Jackson scored on a layup for the Toreros.

Another three-point basket from Murdock extended the lead to 12. Pomare’s turnaround jump shot at 3:55 sent the Waves into a timeout and all but put the game away.

Pepperdine is rebuilding under first-year Coach Vance Walberg. The Waves won only four conference games this season, but were coming off an 88-82 overtime upset of Santa Clara.

Portland 55, Loyola Marymount 41 -- Freshman Taishi Ito scored 16 points to lead the Pilots to their first West Coast Conference tournament win in 11 years.

Their last WCC tournament victory came in 1996.

The seventh-seeded Pilots (9-22) will play third-seeded St. Mary’s in today’s quarterfinals. The Pilots entered the tournament tied with Pepperdine for the worst record in the conference.

Matthew Knight had 15 points and seven rebounds for the sixth-seeded Lions (13-18).