COLLEGE BASKETBALL / TONIGHT’S GAMES : NONCONFERENCE

PEPPERDINE (6-2) at TEXAS EL PASO (6-1)

Time--6. Radio--KWNK (670).

Pepperdine will play Texas El Paso for the first time in 42 seasons when the teams meet in the first round of the Sun Carnival tournament at the Special Events Center in El Paso. It is also the Waves’ first appearance in the tournament, which has drawn one of its best fields. All four teams reached postseason play last season, including Iowa State in the NCAA tournament. The undefeated Cyclones (6-0) will play Virginia Commonwealth (6-1) in the other first-round game. The winners will meet Thursday night after the losers play in the consolation game. Pepperdine played perhaps its most impressive game of the season in a 70-57 victory over UC Santa Barbara last week at Goleta. The Waves, who forced 20 turnovers, blew the game open after switching to a zone defense in the second half. They have been led by the inside play of forward Dana Jones and the outside shooting of guard Damin Lopez. Pepperdine will meet a Texas El Paso team that is coached by Don Haskins, who in his 33rd season is second to North Carolina’s Dean Smith in victories among active coaches with 633. The Miners are led by guard Antoine Gillespie, who is averaging 21.9 points, and forward Ralph Davis, who has an 18-point average.