Senior guard Darren Cooper was the lone Pilot to reach double figures and finished with a game-high 18 points. Ivory Clark came off the WSU bench to lead the Cougars with 12 points, while Josh Akognon added 10, all in the second half.

WSU entered the game as the fourth best team in the nation in field goal percentage defense, while Portland averaged just 55.1 points per game in four previous road contests. Saturday was more of the same on both fronts as UP matched a season-low with 46 points and was limited to 38 percent shooting.

“Their defense was better than our offense this afternoon and they made it difficult for us to get in any kind of rhythm or flow,” Portland head coach Michael Holton said.

Akognon sparked the Cougars with a three-pointer followed by a four-point play early in the second half as WSU extended a five-point halftime advantage to as much as 22 points.

“I think our lack of offensive production affected our defensive energy in the second half,” Holton noted. “We tried to extend our defense but they kept their composure and converted offensively. It takes the wind out of your sails when you are trying to play catch-up and allow easy layups.”

Pilot junior Ben Sullivan played 11 minutes in the first half but did not return after the break as he battled the flu. Leading scorer Pooh Jeter entered the game with a 16.0 average and had reached double digits in all nine games, but was held to five points on 1 of 12 shooting.

The Cougars gathered a 26-20 rebounding advantage and shot 51 percent from the floor.

The first half was a see-saw battle featuring five ties and seven lead changes. Neither team led by more than three points until Kyle Weaver hit a long three-pointer at the end of the shot clock in the final minute to give the Cougars a 25-20 halftime edge.

Portland will continue its road trip with a Monday night game at Montana State in Bozeman, Mont. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).