FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The University of Portland men’s basketball team bounced back from a heartbreaking loss last night and defeated the Western Michigan Broncos, 67-64 today in the second round of the Top of the World Classic at the Carlson Center. With the win, Portland evens out at 1-1 on the season, while the Broncos fall to 0-2 overall. The Pilots will face the winner of the Alaska-Fairbanks-Georgia Southern game in a match-up tomorrow to decide fourth and sixth place. Game time will also be determinded by the Alaska-Fairbanks-Georgia Southern outcome and is currenlty TBA.
Dreshawn Vance led all players with 15 points and eight rebounds in the game. Freshman Marcus Lewis shot 6-of-8 from the floor and racked up 14 points, while Donald Wilson chipped in 10 points. Pooh Jeter contributed nine points and three steals for the game. As a team, the Pilots went 24-of-46 (52 percent) from the field, 2-of-11 (18 percent) from the land of great beyond and 17-of-26 (65 percent) from the free-throw line
“It was a very physical game and what we expected from them,” said Pilot head coach Michael Holton. “I thought we kept our composure, I thought we gutted it out on the defensive end and established a presence in the low post which was the difference in the game.”
“You really have to credit Portland for the nice, persistent game they played today,” said Western Michigan head coach Steve Hawkins. “I like Portland’s team, their point guard (Pooh Jeter) is a wonderful fellow and their freshman (Marcus Lewis) hurt us in the post. They certainly deserved to win this game.”
Western Michigan controlled the opening tip, but Portland made a defensive stop, and at the 18:54 mark, Dreshawn Vance scored and easy lay up as the Pilots got on the board first. Both teams matched basket for basket, but it was the Broncos that held a slight advantage midway through the game. Freshman Marcus Lewis’ spinning post-move down low brought Portland to within two (14-12) at the 12 minute mark. Western Michigan’s Joe Reitz then scored back-to-back lay ins, but the Pilots came back and matched baskets, to again close to within two points (18-16) with 8:21 left in first half. A three-point play by WMU’s Brian Snider gave the Broncos a 21-16 lead, but Vance was able to score Portland’s next five points to even the score at 21. WMU then went on a 10-3 run for a 31-24 lead with just over two minutes left in the first half. On the next play, Darren Cooper drove to the hole and connected on a floater in the lane, followed by a Ben Sullivan steal and lay up, and a Sean Smith trey to tie the game at 31 with 20 seconds to go. On the next possession, Portland fouled WMU’s Snider and he converted both freebies for a 33-31 Bronco lead at the break.
Vance was the only player on either team to score in double-digits before the break. He recorded 13 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 shooting from the free-throw line. Snider led the Broncos with seven points, but turned the ball over six times in the first half. Both teams had an even amount of mistakes with 11 turnovers. WMU had three more boards in the first half than Portland, but the Pilots shot 65 percent (11-17) from the field compared to WMU’s 12-of-26 shooting from the floor.
Portland came out in the second half and stepped up its defensive intensity. The Pilots opened scoring in the second frame on a Wilson offensive putback. Holton called for a full court press and Portland was able to make another defensive stop. Wilson drove through the lane for another lay up, giving the Pilots their fourth lead of the game. Defensive pressure by the Pilots broke down the WMU offense and Portland was able to make a quick 9-0 run for a 47-36 lead with 14 minutes left in the game. With 11 minutes left, Portland put the Broncos in the bonus, tallying their ninth team foul. WMU cut the Pilot lead to five on a lay in by Snider and two free-throws by Ben Reed at the eight minute mark. Ben Sullivan then gave the Pilots some momentum with a one-handed post move down low for a 51-47 Portland lead. A Wilson dunk from Sullivan at the high post ignited the crowd, but the Broncos capitalized on Portland’s foul trouble and tied the game at 53 on back-to-back frees. Portland then went on an 8-3 run with just over a minute left in regulation, but a trey by Levi Rost cut the lead back to two. Sullivan was fouled on the next play and made both free throws, and after WMU’s Rost made a pair of frees at the other end, Jeter was hammered in the backcourt and went to the line. Jeter converted both frees, but with seven seconds to go, WMU’s Rost drained a three-pointer, closing to within one point (65-64). Jeter was fouled on the next play and gave Portland a three-point lead and the ball game as the Broncos couldn’t connect in the last few seconds of regulation. The Pilots went on to win, 67-64.
“I played hard in the first half as well as the second half and just tried to get rebounds," said Dreshawn Vance. “We wanted to play hard defensively and I think it showed in the out come.”
For the Broncos, Rost tallied 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Reitz totaled 12 points, while Snider chipped in 11 points and six rebounds. Reed added 10 points for WMU on 6-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe.
Portland finished with a 20-18 advantage in turnovers, but the Broncos led on the boards, 31-28. Western Michigan edged Portland in second chance points 14-13, but the Pilots outscored the Broncos, 32-16 off points down low. The Pilot bench once again provided assistance, racking up 31 points, compared to WMU’s 16 points.
