Malibu, Calif---James "J-Byrd" Daniel poured in a game-high 22 points and James "JC" Carlton registered a double double of 13 and 11, but it was not enough to offset the deft free throw shooting in the second half as Howard dropped a tough 53-45 decision to Pepperdine at the Firestone Center in the Gotham Classic.
                 
Playing without second leading scorer James "JT" Miller (13 points per game), who sat out with the flu, the Bison (6-7) parlayed the scoring of Daniel and Carlton with some tough, gritty defense to keep the game close.  The Wave came into the game averaging over 73 points per game and shooting 43 percent.  Howard turned the contest into a dogfight, forcing Pepperdine (7-2) into a 30 percent shooting effort on the night.
                 
"This was a great effort on the road against a very good Pepperdine team," said Howard head coach Kevin Nickelberry.  "Our defense tonight was stifling at times. I feel awful for the players that we couldn't reward ourselves with a win.  This is something to definitely build on for the future.
                 
The Wave led 28-23 at the half and threatened to put some distance between them and Howard when they opened the game's biggest lead at 36-27 with just under 12 minutes in the second stanza.  But Daniel and Carlton fueled an 8-0 run during a two-minute stretch that reduced the deficit to 36-35 with 9:35 on the clock.
                 
From there, the Wave was able to keep Howard at arm's length on the scoring of Stacy Davis and Amadi Udenyi.  A Daniel three pointer closed the gap to 44-43 with 3:20 left.  That was as close as they would get the rest of the way. Udenyi answered with a trey and later two free throws to put the game away.  Pepperdine hit six straight free throws down the stretch and 12 of 14 overall in the second half.
                 
"The difference in the second half was that they got to the free throw line more than us and they made a few more plays when it mattered," said Nickelberry. 
                 
Davis led the Waves with 18 points and 11 rebounds while Udenyi added a career-high 16 off the bench and 6 assists.
                 
The Bison blocked seven shots and won the battle of points in the paint and second chance opportunities.
                 
"As a coach, you always wait for that moment when the team takes on your personality and I'm finally starting to see that in this team," Nickelberry noted.  "They are playing with intensity and without fear which is what I'm all about."
                 
Howard returns to action on Monday when it plays South Alabama at 8 pm in their final game of the Gotham Classic.  Pepperdine takes on Richmond on Saturday at Madison Square Garden at 7 pm