Pepperdine was one of the youngest teams in the country last season, which is why its 5-9 conference record exceeded expectations.

The Waves are still a young team, but they have considerable experience for their age and have a chance to be the surprise team of the WCC.

Tom Asbury made significant strides last season, his first year in his second stint as Pepperdine coach, and it was hard to believe that the team he had at season's end was the same one he started with. The Waves were terrible for the first two months.

Those gains, the return of four starters, the addition of two freshmen who could man the point guard spot, and Asbury's second year at helm have given Pepperdine some much-needed stability and hope that it will be a contender in a year or two.