San Francisco 88, Pepperdine 63

3/3/2008 11:47 PM

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -Eddie Sutton's short-lived project at San Francisco is nearly over and it certainly appears he's made progress with this downtrodden team. His two seniors sent him out the right way at home on the Hilltop.

Only once in his career has Sutton lost on a Senior Day, and the Dons' interim coach made a point of telling his players that statistic.

Vince Polakovic scored a career-high 24 points and Danny Cavic had 17 points and eight rebounds in the Dons' 88-63 victory over Pepperdine on Monday night in Sutton's final game at Memorial Gym.

``It's been fun because a lot of these guys have gotten better, the team's gotten better,'' Sutton said after his 803rd career win. ``We're a lot better than we were when I got here two months ago.''

Dior Lowhorn added 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go with 12 rebounds and Manny Quezada had six assists for San Francisco (9-20, 5-9) in its last regular-season game before this weekend's West Coast Conference tournament in San Diego.

``It's a fantastic feeling,'' Cavic said. ``I'm definitely happy for myself and Vince. It's great to win the last one at home. This is what we needed to get a little momentum going into the tournament.''

The Dons are the fifth seed and will open against No. 8 Loyola Marymount on Friday, while the sixth-seeded Waves (10-20, 4-10) will face No. 7 Portland on Friday.

Sutton (803-327) - who won his 800th game at Pepperdine on Feb. 2 - led his team to its third victory in four games and first two-game winning streak since he's been in charge. Polakovic shot 10-for-16 and Cavic made four 3-pointers.

``When you win two in a row, you get selfish and want to win some more,'' Sutton said. ``I'm just happy these two guys went out on a winning note.''

Sutton became interim coach Dec. 26 when Jessie Evans took what athletic director Debra Gore-Mann called a leave of absence, though he is not expected to return next season despite having two years remaining on his contract.

Tyrone Shelley scored 28 points and hit four 3s fir the Waves, who are also working with an interim head coach as Eric Bridgeland stepped in after Vance Walberg resigned on Jan. 18 for personal reasons. Pepperdine has said former coach Tom Asbury will return next season.

Mike Hornbuckle had 15 points with three 3-pointers and six rebounds, but Pepperdine committed 18 turnovers in losing for the third time in four games.

Sutton made it clear early in his tenure that he didn't want the job past this season. Gore-Mann said before tipoff Monday that she would address the situation again after the season, leaving it as a private personnel matter for now despite criticism coming from boosters and fans. Evans' nameplate remains on his old office door now occupied by Sutton.

She knows supporters judge the program by wins and losses and want the program to regain the national status and success it had in the days of Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and Bill Cartwright. Gore-Mann watched intently from a courtside seat.

``There were some painful times for the players,'' Sutton said. ``To change coaches in the middle of the season, that's traumatic.''

Before the game, Sutton walked to midcourt to shake hands with lone Pepperdine senior Tyler Carr before the Dons honored their two seniors: Cavic and Polakovic. Early on, he leaned back in his chair with legs crossed before suddenly hopping up to let an official have it. He's still plenty animated and red-faced at times as he heads toward his 72nd birthday next week.

Sutton will soon end the hotel living arrangement he's had in the city's Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood and the regular meals at In-N-Out Burger and return home to his wife and family in Oklahoma - probably done for good this time after 37 seasons as a Division I head coach.

The Dons made eight of their first 13 shots, used a 13-3 run in the first half to grab momentum and came out with the kind of energy and hustle Sutton has been preaching to his players from Day 1. The kind of play he hopes this group can continue once he's long gone.

USF led 51-32 at halftime after shooting 53.3 percent to 41.4 for the Waves. It was the Dons' biggest halftime lead in conference play and their most points in a first half this season.

Sutton wasn't quite ready for this season to come to an end. He and assistant Robert McCullum - a new addition to the staff upon Sutton's arrival - talked about the strides the players have made in such a short time.

``I guess it's winding down,'' Sutton said. ``Robert and I were talking that we wish we had another month because they are getting better.''

But Sutton isn't saying goodbye. He plans to visit next season to check on his former team and enjoy one of his favorite cities.

``I will always be back here,'' he said.