Mike Gesell was 3-for-3 from 3-point range, scoring 15 points and adding three assists and three steals for Iowa (3-2), which also got 15 points and seven rebounds from Jarrod Uthoff. The Hawkeyes struggled with their shooting at times, but were helped by forcing 19 Pepperdine turnovers.

Shawn Olden led the Waves (3-1) with 17 points, while Stacy Davis added 13 points and nine boards. Jett Raines added eight points and 10 rebounds for Pepperdine, which shot 37.3 percent from the field.

Iowa jumped out to a quick lead, going up 7-2 on Gesell's 3-pointer less than four minutes into the contest, but though it never took the lead, Pepperdine would not go away. The Hawkeyes increased their advantage to 10 with 5:42 to play on another Gesell 3, but the Waves scored six straight and trailed by just five at the break.

The lead was four when Iowa went on a 13-3 run to open up a 14-point advantage on Uthoff's jumper with 12:32 to go. The Waves cut the lead to five with under seven minutes left, but Iowa had too much offense and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pepperdine was trying to go 4-0 for the first time since 1998-99. … Iowa has now won 27 straight non-conference home games, a streak that dates back to November 2011. … The two teams tied in the board battle, 39-39, after each squad had come into the game with rebound margins of seven or more.