ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — Pepperdine and Cornell will open their men’s NCAA Division I basketball seasons on Monday at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y., with the Waves visiting the Big Red. Both teams enter with 0-0 records, making the matchup an early opportunity to establish momentum before their respective nonconference schedules deepen.

Pepperdine’s most recent previous result was a 77-68 loss at Portland. The Waves will look to reset after that road setback and begin the new campaign with a stronger defensive effort. Cornell’s most recent previous result was an 88-76 loss at Yale. The Big Red will aim to use their home floor to start the season on a positive note.

Cornell will host the game at Newman Arena, a setting that could give the Big Red an early comfort advantage. Newman Arena will provide the backdrop for the opener, and the Big Red will try to use that familiarity to control tempo. Pepperdine will be the visiting team as it begins a stretch that includes several home games and road tests. The Waves’ upcoming schedule features home games against La Sierra and Bethesda (CA), followed by road games at Sam Houston and Oregon. Pepperdine also has home contests scheduled against UC Santa Barbara, UNC Greensboro, Cal State Bakersfield and Florida Gulf Coast, along with a meeting with Lehigh in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and a road game at Abilene Christian.

Cornell’s upcoming slate begins with a road game at Lehigh before home games against Keuka, UNC Greensboro, Bucknell and St. Lawrence. The Big Red also are scheduled to play at Saint Bonaventure, Syracuse, Morgan State, Long Island and Colgate. Those matchups will test Cornell’s depth and perimeter play after the opener.

The Waves and Big Red will both seek efficient starts offensively while limiting turnovers in their first game of the season. Pepperdine’s recent result came on the road against a West Coast Conference opponent, while Cornell’s last outing came in Ivy League play. Each team will be looking to carry lessons from those games into the new season. The opener also gives both programs an early chance to set rotations and evaluate backcourt combinations before the schedule grows more demanding. Pepperdine will counter with a schedule that mixes home dates with demanding road trips, while Cornell’s nonconference slate includes several regional matchups and visits to larger programs.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Cornell 94, Pepperdine 79. Pepperdine has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -2.5. The over/under for the game is 163.5.