MALIBU, Calif. (Interstat) — The San Francisco Dons look to rebound from a heartbreaking double-overtime loss when they visit the struggling Pepperdine Waves in a West Coast Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Firestone Fieldhouse.

San Francisco (11-7, 1-1 WCC) fell 84-82 at Loyola Marymount on Thursday despite a career-high 32 points from guard Ryan Beasley. The Dons had won three straight prior to that defeat and have shown resilience on the road with wins at Seattle and Mississippi State this season.

Pepperdine (5-13, 0-3) seeks its first conference victory amid a five-game losing streak. The Waves are coming off an 83-63 loss at San Diego on Thursday and have faced a grueling early WCC slate, including blowout losses to league powers Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga.

The game features a compelling backcourt duel between Beasley and Waves freshman Styles Phipps. Beasley, San Francisco’s leading scorer, has been on a tear, averaging 18.1 points over his last eight games. His ability to create offense will be critical for a Dons team that has struggled with consistency.

Phipps, a dynamic playmaker for Pepperdine, is coming off an 18-point, six-assist performance against San Diego. He leads the Waves in assists and is a key to igniting an offense that has been held under 70 points in nine of its 13 losses.

San Francisco’s frontcourt, led by Legend Smiley and Junjie Wang, who combined for 22 points and four blocks against LMU, should have an advantage against a Pepperdine team that has been outrebounded by an average of 6.5 per game.

Historically, the Dons have dominated the series, winning 10 of the last 11 meetings. For Pepperdine, this home stand represents a crucial opportunity to halt its skid before a daunting upcoming stretch that includes games at Gonzaga and Washington State.

Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. PST. The Dons continue conference play at home against Saint Mary’s on Tuesday, while Pepperdine hosts Portland next Wednesday.