The Pepperdine Waves are the athletics teams of Pepperdine University, located outside the city of Malibu, California. They compete at the Division I level of the NCAA. The school is a member of the West Coast Conference for the majority of its programs. Pepperdine University was recently ranked by the Sears Cup as having the most successful athletic program for non-football Division I schools. Pepperdine University sponsors seventeen NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics teams. There are also several intercollegiate sports clubs such as men's soccer, men's and women's lacrosse, surf team, Ultimate Frisbee and men's rugby.
The Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team is an American college basketball team that represents Pepperdine University in NCAA Division I, the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Waves compete in the West Coast Conference and are coached by Ed Schilling. The Waves have competed in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament 13 times and are 3rd all-time in WCC Tournament wins and championships. The Waves most recently appeared in the NCAA tournament in 2002. Thirty-eight former Waves have been drafted or played in the NBA including Doug Christie and Dennis Johnson, an inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The most recent Waves drafted into the NBA are Kessler Edwards (2021) and Maxwell Lewis (2023).
The 2011–12 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was the head coach Marty Wilson's first full season at Pepperdine, though he was the team's interim head coach in the 1990s for half of a season. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and are members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 10–19, 4–12 in WCC play to finish in seventh place and lost in the second round of the West Coast Conference tournament to San Diego.
The Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team is the basketball team that represents Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the West Coast Conference. The team's last appearance in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament was in 2006. Their home arena is the Firestone Fieldhouse, a multi-purpose facility that hosts basketball, volleyball, and many other athletic and university events. They share this facility with the Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team.
The 2014–15 Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2014–15 college basketball season. The Waves, members of the West Coast Conference, were led by second year coach Ryan Weisenberg. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse on the university campus in Malibu, California. They finished the season 8–22, 3–15 in WCC play to finish in ninth place. They lost in the first round of the WCC women's tournament to Loyola Marymount.
The 2015–16 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Marty Wilson's fifth full season at Pepperdine. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 18–14, 10–8 in WCC play to finish in fourth place. They defeated San Francisco in the WCC tournament to advance to the semifinals where they lost to Saint Mary's. They were invited to the College Basketball Invitational where they lost in the first round to Eastern Washington.
The 2015–16 Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2015–16 college basketball season. The Waves, members of the West Coast Conference, were led by third year coach Ryan Weisenberg. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse on the university campus in Malibu, California. They finished the season 7–24, 2–16 in WCC play to finish in ninth place. They lost in the first round of the WCC women's tournament to Loyola Marymount.
The 2016–17 Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2016–17 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Waves, members of the West Coast Conference, were led by fourth year coach Ryan Weisenberg. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse on the university campus in Malibu, California. They finished the season 7–23, 5–13 in WCC play to finish in a tie for eighth place. They lost in the first round of the WCC women's tournament to Pacific.
The 2016–17 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Marty Wilson's sixth full season at Pepperdine. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California as members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 9–22, 5–13 in WCC play to finish in eighth place. They lost in the first round of the WCC tournament to Pacific.
The 2017–18 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Waves were led by seventh-year head coach Marty Wilson and played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California as members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 6–26, 2–16 in WCC play to finish in last place. They defeated Santa Clara in the first round of the WCC tournament before losing in the quarterfinals to Saint Mary's.
The 2017–18 Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Waves, as members of the West Coast Conference, were led by first year head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse on the university campus in Malibu, California. They finished the season 10–20, 5–13 in WCC play to finish in a tie for eighth place. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the WCC women's tournament, where they lost to Gonzaga.
The 2018–19 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Waves were led by head coach Lorenzo Romar, in the first season of his second stint after coaching the Waves from 1996 to 1999. They played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California as members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 16–18, 8–10 in WCC play to finish in eighth place. They defeated Pacific, Loyola Marymount, and San Francisco to advance to the semifinals of the WCC tournament where they were defeated by Gonzaga.
The 2018–19 Pepperdine Waves women's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Waves, as members of the West Coast Conference, were led by second year head coach DeLisha Milton-Jones. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse on the university campus in Malibu, California. They finished the season 22–12, 12–6 in WCC play to finish in a tie for third place. They advanced to the semifinals of the WCC women's tournament, where they lost to Gonzaga. They received an automatic bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament, where they defeated California Baptist and WCC member Saint Mary's in the second round before losing to Wyoming in the third round.
The 2019–20 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Waves were led by head coach Lorenzo Romar, in the second season of his second stint after coaching the Waves from 1996 to 1999. They played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California as members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 16–16, 8–8 in WCC play to finish in sixth place. They defeated Santa Clara in the second round of the WCC tournament before losing in the third round to Saint Mary's.
The 1991–92 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 1991–92 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Tom Asbury. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 24–7, 14–0 in WCC play to win the regular season conference title by a 5-game margin. After completing an unbeaten record in the conference regular season, Pepperdine ran their conference winning streak to 27 consecutive games and won the West Coast Conference tournament to receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. In the opening round, the Waves fell to Memphis State, 80–70.
The 1999–2000 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 1999–2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by first-year head coach Jan van Breda Kolff. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Conference. They finished the season 25–9, 12–2 in WCC play to win the regular season conference title. Pepperdine lost in the championship game of the West Coast Conference tournament, but did receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 11 seed in the East region. In the opening round, the Waves surprised No. 6 seed Indiana – in what would be head coach Bobby Knight’s final game at the school – before falling to Oklahoma State in the second round, 75–67.
The 1984–85 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 1984–85 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Jim Harrick. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Athletic Conference. They finished the season 23–9, 11–1 in WCAC play to win the regular season conference title by a 2-game margin to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In the opening round, the Waves fell to Duke, 75–62.
The 1982–83 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Jim Harrick. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Athletic Conference. They finished the season 20–9, 10–2 in WCAC play to win the regular season conference title to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In the opening round, the Waves fell to Jim Valvano’s NC State Wolfpack, 69–67 in 2OT.
The 1985–86 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University in the 1985–86 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team was led by head coach Jim Harrick. The Waves played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse and were members of the West Coast Athletic Conference. They finished the season 25–5, 13–1 in WCAC play to win the regular season conference title by a 2-game margin to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In the opening round, the Waves fell to No. 5 seed Maryland, 69–64.
The 2022–23 Pepperdine Waves men's basketball team represented Pepperdine University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Waves were led by head coach Lorenzo Romar, in the fifth season of his second stint after coaching the Waves from 1996 to 1999. They played their home games at the Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, California as members of the West Coast Conference.
