LOS ANGELES – The PCH Cup returns this year as LMU and Pepperdine are set to face off in the lone edition of the rivalry this year. Without a return trip to Malibu on the schedule, Thursday night's game between the Lions and Waves will be the only chance to see the two Southern California teams face off this regular season. The game will be played at 8:00 PM and air on Bally's West, Root+, and NBCSCA+ across the west coast.
 
The Lions are coming off a conference win where the defense held Portland to just 18 made field goals, a low of any opponent this season. The Pilots faced an active LMU defense that limited the visiting offense to just 34.0 percent (18-for-53) shooting, another low for an opponent this season.
 
Offensively, the Lions had their most well-rounded scoring output of the season with five different players hitting double digit points, including LMU career-highs for first-year Lions Kwane Marble and Alex Merkviladze. Between Cam Shelton, Marble, and Merkviladze, LMU's three transfers who joined the team this offseason, LMU received 41 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists in the win over Portland.
 
Pepperdine enters the game looking for their first West Coast Conference win of the season. The Waves are being outscored by 19.5 points per game in league games this year. 
 
The two teams are both going to be focused on how turnovers impact the game. Heading into Thursday's game, Pepperdine leads the conference with 14.26 turnovers forced per game, with LMU second at 13.93. Offensively, both teams are turnover prone this season and rank 9^th and 10^th, respectively, in the WCC.
 
In addition to the television broadcast, KXLU 88.9 will broadcast the audio of the game on
radio. 
 
Fans in attendance must purchase tickets online or through the AXS app prior to arriving to campus.