Box Score
DAVIS, Calif. --- Junior point guard T.J. Campbell scored 20 points to lead the Portland Pilots to a 75-72 victory over the UC Davis Aggies Sunday afternoon at The Pavilion. Four Pilots reached double figures for the fourth consecutive game, but the team saw a 14-point second half lead wilt to one before finally holding on for the victory.
The Pilots (3-1) entered the contest shooting 53 percent from the field and converted 47 percent for the game. After struggling to 36 percent shooting in the first half, Portland made 8-of-10 to start the second half, including four straight three-pointers, and seemed in control of the game. Turnovers again were the team’s Achilles heel as the Aggies (1-4) extended the defensive pressure to make a late comeback.
A steal and layup by Vince Oliver cut the margin to three and then another Pilot turnover led to Joe Harden’s runner in the lane to make the score 62-61 with 2:48 remaining. Portland then broke the press and Nik Raivio found Robin Smeulders on the break for a three-point play. A long rebound and fast break layup by Campbell gave the Pilots a six point cushion and the visitors made free throws down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Campbell finished 7-for-13 from the floor and added five rebounds, four assists and three steals. His 12 first-half points were crucial after a slow start.
“T.J.’s been good for us and he has a lot of ability,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said. “It’s hard to be a point guard in a new system, but he’s done a nice job. The only thing that stopped him early was me taking him out, but I knew the game would come down to conditioning so we wanted to keep him fresh.”
Sophomore sharpshooter Jared Stohl drained four threes and finished with a career-high 17 points off the bench. Raivio and Smeulders added 15 and 12, respectively, as each have reached double figures in all four games this year.
Kyle Brucculeri led the Aggies with 17 points, while Harden finished with 16 points and nine boards.
Even though both teams finished with 17 turnovers, the Pilots gained a 27-13 edge in points off turnovers and also a 28-22 advantage in points in the paint. Portland collected a season-high 11 steals in the contest.
“We preach defense and rebounding,” Reveno said, “and that will keep you in games when shots aren’t falling. We guarded in the first half and that kept us in it. To shoot poorly on the road and still have a two-point lead at the break is pretty good.”
Portland started out sluggish offensively, missing numerous easy looks in the early going. Campbell stepped up with 12 first half points and the Pilots used a 10-0 run to gain a 22-15 edge with 8:45 left in the half. Despite shooting just 35 percent from the field in the period, the Pilots carried a 30-28 lead into the break.
“I may bother the guys with my fixation on stats and things we need to work on,” Reveno said, “but the only stat that really matters is the score and we did enough to win today.”
The Pilots return to Portland for a three-game homestand beginning against Western Athletic Conference preseason favorite Nevada on Saturday at 7 p.m.
