STWF Sports|NEW ORLEANS|Nov. 18,2025 – The University of New Orleans showed heart, grit and several flashes of brilliance on Tuesday night inside Firestone Fieldhouse, but a late scoring drought proved costly as the Privateers fell 90–79 to Pepperdine. UNO sliced an eight-point halftime deficit all the way down to one in the closing minutes, yet the Waves responded with timely buckets and defensive pressure to seal the win.
This was a game marked by runs — and ultimately, Pepperdine had more of them.
Privateers Rally, But Waves Respond Every Time
UNO (2–2) opened the second half determined to make the climb back. Coleton Benson sparked the push with a deep three at the 15:19 mark, trimming the lead to four. The Privateers kept coming, with Enzo Boudouma drilling back-to-back triples at 11:02 and 8:20, each time slicing Pepperdine’s advantage to four.
But each time UNO threatened, Pepperdine had an answer.
The Waves (3–2) quickly countered every Privateer surge with efficient scoring bursts — a theme that defined the night. Pepperdine’s composure and execution under pressure repeatedly stifled UNO’s momentum.
Down to One: UNO’s Best Chance Comes Late
The Privateers’ best shot came with just under five minutes remaining. Jakevion Buckley swiped the ball from Pepperdine guard Aaron Clark, missed a floater, grabbed his own rebound, and kicked it out to Benson on the right wing. Benson buried the three, bringing UNO within 71–69.
After Javon Cooley answered with a jumper, Buckley responded again — drawing a foul on a step-back 17-footer and converting the free throw to cut it to 73–72 with 3:25 left.
But that was UNO’s final surge.
From that point forward, the Privateers went ice cold, making just one of their final eight shots. Pepperdine capitalized, closing the game on a decisive run to secure the 11-point victory.
Pagonis Ignites Early; Benson Burns Late
Panagiotis Pagonis delivered a career effort, pouring in 17 points — all in the first half — and keeping UNO afloat during Pepperdine’s early pushes. The “Athens Assassin” hit three clutch threes and showcased the poised scoring presence UNO has come to rely on.
Benson settled in after the break, finishing with 17 points and a career-high five assists, including four second-half 3-pointers as he powered UNO’s comeback effort.
Buckley added 15 points and five assists, while MJ Thomas was a force on the glass with 14 rebounds, five of them on the offensive end.
UNO Outrebounds Nation’s Top Offensive Rebounding Team
One of the bright spots for the Privateers was their work on the boards.
Pepperdine entered the matchup as the nation’s No. 1 offensive rebounding team, averaging more than 18 per game. UNO not only matched Pepperdine’s physicality — they beat them, winning the overall rebounding battle 40–35 and limiting the Waves to just 11 offensive boards.
But turnovers proved costly. Pepperdine forced 17 UNO turnovers while committing only six, a key statistical disparity that kept the Privateers from fully capitalizing on their strong rebounding performance.
Waves’ Trio Too Much to Handle
For Pepperdine, Javon Cooley led all scorers with 23 points, going a flawless 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. Danilo Dozic added 21 points and four 3-pointers, while Styles Phipps orchestrated the attack with 14 points and 11 assists.
Their trio’s efficiency — combined with Pepperdine’s ability to capitalize on UNO’s miscues — proved decisive.
Up Next: Fresno State Awaits
The Privateers will remain on the West Coast as they prepare for a Friday night matchup against the Fresno State Bulldogs. The game will stream for free on the Mountain West Network and air locally on the Privateer Sports Network on 106.1 Heaven FM.
UNO showed plenty of fight in Malibu — but on Friday, they’ll look to turn those punches into a complete 40-minute performance.
