Armstrong Has Waves Follow His Footsteps
Just when it appeared Pepperdine might limp into West Coast Conference play with a losing record, Brandon Armstrong put some swagger in the Waves’ gait.
Armstrong scored 70 points in two games at the Arizona State Holiday tournament last week in victories over North Carolina Charlotte and Ohio.
The Waves (8-5) begin WCC play Jan. 12.
The junior guard scored a career-high 41 points in an 81-70 victory over Charlotte and had 29 in a 78-76 overtime decision against Ohio.
“I’m pleased we completed our nonconference schedule on such a positive note,” Coach Jan van Breda Kolff said.
Pepperdine lost three of four before the tournament.
Four of the Waves’ nonconference losses came on the road to Indiana, Georgia, Nevada Las Vegas and USC. Only Utah beat them at Firestone Fieldhouse.
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Van Breda Kolff continues to tinker with the starting lineup.
Only Armstrong, who averages 20.2 points, and senior forward Kelvin Gibbs, who averages 15.2 points and 8.5 rebounds, are consistent scorers.
Against Charlotte and Ohio, van Breda Kolff went with a lineup of two forwards and three guards.
Sophomore forward Boomer Brazzle started in place of struggling freshman center Will Kimble. Guards Derrick Anderson and Craig Lewis started in place of point guard Micah McKinney and senior forward David Lalazarian.
But the offense still centered on Armstrong. Neither Brazzle nor Anderson made a field goal in the tournament.
“We haven’t had the balance we had last season,” van Breda Kolff said. “I think some of our guys are feeling more comfortable and will step it up in conference play.”
Only Armstrong had a double-figure scoring average at 14.1 last season when Pepperdine (25-9) won the WCC title. But seven players averaged at least 7.5 points.
Lalazarian is averaging 7.6 points and Lewis is averaging 7.4 despite missing four games because of an ankle injury. Otherwise, it’s been all Armstrong and Gibbs.
