From Pepperdine:
MALIBU, Calif. – On the first day of the spring signing period the Pepperdine men’s basketball team landed a talented and experienced big man, as head coach Marty Wilson announced that UCLA transfer Brendan Lane has signed a grant-in-aid and will join the Waves next season.
Wilson expects to announce two more signings later this week.
Lane is graduating from UCLA this spring after playing for the Bruins the past three seasons. He will be eligible immediately and will have one season of competition at Pepperdine while he pursues a master’s degree.
“Brendan brings size, skill, athleticism and experience in many areas that will be invaluable to our basketball program,” Wilson said. “His ability to score the ball from inside and out, as well as being a very good rebounder, will allow him to be a great asset for us. We will expect him to come in and impact our team immediately.”
A 6-foot-9 forward, Lane appeared in 79 games, starting eight, and averaged 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds in 11.4 minutes the past three seasons at UCLA. He shot 50% or better from the field all three years.
“I felt like I had a good connection with Pepperdine’s coaches and I like the direction the program is going,” Lane said. “It’s hard to beat the academics there. It’s a great opportunity for me. I want to get the most out of my final year of basketball, and do whatever I can to help the team.”
When Lane announced his decision to play his final season elsewhere, UCLA Coach Ben Howland told ESPN.com: “Brendan has been absolutely fantastic in terms of the type of kid he is. He’s someone I will always have great appreciation and affection for.”
Following is a capsule biography on Lane:
A three-year member of the UCLA basketball team … Will graduate from UCLA this spring with a degree in economics … Will have one year of eligibility remaining to play at Pepperdine and will pursue a master’s degree … Appeared in 19 games as a 2011-12 junior, averaging 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds … Had season highs of eight points and six rebounds vs. Chaminade … Played in 33 of 34 games and started five as a 2010-11 sophomore … Averaged personal bests of 3.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 blocked shots … Scored a season-high eight points in the NCAA Tournament vs. Michigan State … As a 2009-10 freshman, posted 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 27 games (three starts) … Scored a career-high 11 points at Washington as a freshman … Saw action against Pepperdine in each of the last three seasons (the Waves visited Pauley Pavilion twice and the two schools played in the Sports Arena last season) … Two of his career highs were set against Pepperdine in 2010 (three assists and two three-pointers made) … Shot 52.4% from the field in his three seasons … Earned postseason awards from UCLA in 2012 as the Elvin C. “Ducky” Drake Memorial Award for Competitive Spirit, Inspiration and Unselfish Contributions, and in 2011 for the UCLA Faculty Athletic Representative Award/Academic Achievement and Team Contribution … Was the Division 2 State Player of the Year at Rocklin (Calif.) High School in 2009 and was named the Sacramento Bee’s Area Player of the Year … Rated as one of the nation’s top 75 recruits by Rivals.com (#49), ESPN (#69) and Scout.com (#73) … The last player to transfer from UCLA to Pepperdine was omm’A Givens, who played one season for the Waves in 1998.