How To Watch, Game Preview and Game Thread: Pepperdine Waves at UCLA Bruins Men's Basketball
The Waves visit Pauley Pavilion for the first time since 2022.
Like UCLA, Pepperdine opened the 2025-26 season on Monday night. And, like the Bruins, the Waves defeated their opponent. And also like the Bruins, they didn’t absolutely crush the other team. That’s important to note.
In UCLA’s case, I realized that, when I predicted an easy Bruin win which should have been over by halftime, I had forgotten that Mick Cronin seems to like to use the early non-conference slate to tinker with his lineups and that, as a result, Cronin’s teams never seem to blow out teams they could, or should, put away easily early.
However, in the case of Pepperdine, though, it isn’t a good thing. That’s because the Waves opened against Life Pacific. It’s ok if you’re not familar with Life Pacific. It’s a small bible college, located in San Dimas (San Dimas? EXCELLENT!) with an enrollment of just 620 students. Life Pacific was started by Aimee Semple McPherson in 1923 as the Echo Park Evangelistic and Missionary Training Institute. It became LIFE Bible College until being renamed as Life Pacific College in 2000. It became Life Pacific University in 2019. More importantly, LPU is an NAIA school. Given that, there is no reason Pepperdine shouldn’t have doubled up on the Warriors, but they only managed to win by eight, 88-80. Ouch.
Now, that doesn’t mean tonight’s game won’t be close. After all, Cronin, as I mentioned above, does like to use the early non-conference slate as a testing ground before solidifying his lineup in time for the tougher non-conference games and the conference slate.
Let’s look at the Waves.
The Waves are led by former Steve Alford assistant Ed Schilling. Schilling is in his second season in Malibu. Last year, he led the Waves to a 13-22 mark. Interestingly, he replaced another former Bruin assistant Lorenzo Romar and he hired former Bruin player and assistant Tyus Edney as one of his assistant coaches.
Let’s look at Pepperdine’s starting five.
Starting Five
Grad transfer Javon Cooley led the Wave starters on Monday night with 13 points and he was tied with reserve Pavle Stosic for second on the team in points. Only Aaron Clark scored more than Cooley or Stosic. Clark led the Waves with 14 points. Cooley was also third on the team in rebounds with five.
Danilo Doxic is a sophomore from Serbia who scored 11 on Monday. Last year, he played in 28 games and made 15 starts while averaging 5.8 ppg. His points from the game against Life Pacific were just one short of tying his career high.
Sophomore guard Styles Phipps transferred to Pepperdine this year after playing last season at Grand Canyon. He scored nine points on Monday and was tied with Stosic for the team lead in rebounds with seven.
Freshman guard Luka Vudragovic is another Pepperdine player from Serbia. He scored eight against LPU including two threes.
Sophomore transfer Yonatan Levy joins the Waves after playing last season at Wisconsin Green Bay. The Israeli forward scored just two points on Monday.
In addition to Clark and Stosic, the third guy off the bench who finished in double figures was David Mager who scored 12 points.
Here’s how to watch, listen and stream tonight’s game:
#12 UCLA Men’s Basketball (1-0
Opponent: Pepperdine Waves (1-0)
Series Record: UCLA leads, 21-4
When: 7:30 pm PT, Friday, November 7, 2025
Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: BTN with Carlo Jiménez and Don MacLean
Live Stream: FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Radio/Audio
Local Radio: KABC AM 790 with Josh Lewin and Tracy Murray
Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Ch. 85 (UCLA Call)
Online: uclabruins.com
Live Stats: UCLA StatBroadcast
Game Notes:
UCLA
Go Bruins!!!
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These officials are just not serious this half.
Booker for 3!!!