Bulldogs lead by 8 at half
Gonzaga jumped out to a 13-2 lead five minutes into the game and later led 28-14, but the Pepperdine Waves dominated the final 7 minutes, closing within 34-26 at halftime.
GU's Courtney Vandersloot hit a pair of early 3-pointers to help Gonzaga's early surge. Vivian Frieson and Kayla Standish dominated the glass, but the Bulldogs struggled to make shots. They made just 11 of 32 shots (34.4 percent) and their offense bogged down when the Waves went to a zone defense.
Vandersloot scored 14 points. Heather Bowman and Tiffanie Shives each had six. Standish collected 11 rebounds in nine minutes and Frieson had nine boards.
Miranda Ayim missed her first six shots, but warmed up to finish with eight points. Lauren Bell had nine points.
More at the final buzzer.