Rachel Warren

Kyla Howell hits the winning shot in overtime to lead the Mustangs past Portland 77-75

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Cal Poly’s Kyla Howell hit a jumper as time expired to lead the Mustangs past the Portland Pilots 77-75 in overtime of a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Chiles Center. The loss is the first at home this season for the Pilots, who are 4-2 overall.

Howell’s game-winner came only seconds after UP senior forward Anne Graner tied the game at 75-75 with a clutch three-pointer at the other end with seven seconds left. Cal Poly’s Sparkle Anderson then brought the ball up court, but was cut off in the key by a plethora of Portland defenders. Anderson fed Howell with a pass on the left baseline, where Howell hit an 18-footer with Graner in her face.

The Mustangs outscored Portland 11-9 in the extra period to improve to 3-2 on the season.

Portland need a last-second shot in regulation to force overtime. Down three with 20 seconds left, the Pilots worked the ball around the perimeter to sophomore forward Jennifer Wassom. Wassom drilled a game-tying three-pointer from the top of the key to knot the score at 66-66 with seven ticks on the clock. Cal Poly then had a couple of chances on the other end but was unable to convert from within 10 feet.

Freshman guard Laiken Dollente once again led the Pilots in scoring with 17 points. After a scoreless first half, junior center Rachel Warren finished with 12 points with a game-high 10 rebounds for her second double-double this season.

Graner finished with 13 points, while sophomore forward Allyson Sievers and freshman guard Kendra Morris each scored 11. Sievers also grabbed seven boards and dished out a team-high four assists.

Cal Poly was led by Jessica Eggleston, who notched a game-high 20 points. Bria Fields and Anderson each scored 18.

The Mustangs led for most of the first half before Portland ended the half on a 12-2 run to take a 31-28 lead into the locker room. Cal Poly began the game on an 8-0 run before Morris got Portland on the board with a three-pointer.

Cal Poly built an eight-point lead in the second half with 10:10 remaining. UP scored 12 of the next 14 points to tie the game at 55-55. Dollente hit a three-pointer and converted a three-point play before Warren capped the run with a lay-up off a nice feed from sophomore guard Karlie Burris.

The Mustangs built the lead back to 60-55 with 4:54 left, before Portland climbed back and tied it on Wassom’s three-pointer.

The Pilots shot 42 percent (23 for 55) for the game, while Cal Poly hit 41 percent (27 for 66) of its shots. Both teams were money from the free-throw line as the Mustangs hit 20 of 23 attempts and Portland was 25 for 29. The Portland benched outscored that of Cal Poly 22-8.

The Pilots next travel to Eugene, Ore. for a non-conference game against the Oregon Ducks on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. UP is 4-1 at the Chiles Center this season and dropped its only road game at Boise State.