Sophomore Jamie Jones scores a career-high 22 points in the loss to SE Louisiana

CORVALLIS, Ore. --- Sophomore forward Jamie Jones scored a career-high 22 points and the Portland Pilots staged another inspiring second half comeback, but ultimately dropped a 63-55 decision to Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday at Gill Coliseum. The Lions (3-0) won the Oregon Rain Invitational tournament title with the win, after previously beating Cal Poly and the host Oregon State Beavers.

Portland (0-3), which came back from a 15-point second half deficit on Saturday only to fall 56-53 to Cal Poly, overcame a 13-point late SE Louisiana lead on Sunday. A three-pointer and pair of free throws by senior center Ben Sullivan capped an 15-3 run to make it 42-41 with 6:59 to play, but Daryl Cohen and Kevyn Green each hit a pair of three-pointers in the closing minutes to give the Lions the edge.

Cohen and Green combined to score 27 of SE Louisiana’s 33 second half points. Cohen led all scorers with 23 points. Quennell Green added 13 points for the Lions, while Kevyn Green scored all 12 of his points in the second period.

Jones went 11-for-14 from the floor and added seven rebounds.

“I felt that I needed to come out and play well today,” Jones said. “I didn’t play as well as I could have our first two games, so I wanted to make a statement today. My teammates did a great job of getting me the ball and trusting me to score.

”We still have a lot to learn, but it’s a long season and we will get better as time goes on.”

Sullivan finished with 13 points for the Pilots. Portland played without senior guard Darren Cooper, who suffered a strained hamstring in the closing minutes of Saturday’s game with Cal Poly.

Defense keyed the Pilot comeback for the second day in a row. Portland held the Lions to 36 percent shooting in the second half, but SE Louisiana finished the game 11-for-29 from the three-point line.

“We picked our poison and they fed it to us,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno, referring to the Portland defensive scheme forcing the Lions into shooting perimeter shots. “We tried to get them out of a rhythm offensively and I think the strategy worked, but they made some tough shots at the end. Very few of the three-pointers they made were off of defensive breakdowns, but good teams make plays and they are a good team.”

Portland trailed 30-21 at halftime after starting the game with four consecutive turnovers and shooting just 1-for-6 from the three-point line in the half.

“I was pleased with the turnover total for the game,” Reveno said of Portland’s 11 turnovers, compared to 18 and 21 in the first two games. “But we need to have better focus from start to finish. You can’t start the game with four turnovers and then come out slow in the second half like we did today.”

The Lions scored the first five points after the break to take their largest lead of the game at 34-21. Portland then got into a groove offensively with Jones and Sullivan, combining for 21 points and eight rebounds in the second half.

Cohen put the nail in the coffin with a deep, contested three-pointer as the shot clock expired to give the Lions a 56-49 lead with 1:31 to play. He finished 6-for-14 from the three-point line for the game.

The Pilots will return to Portland for their home opener on Friday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. against the Montana State Bobcats at the Chiles Center. Portland will also host UC Davis on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.