Complete Release I Coach Reveno Podcast I Live Audio
Game Information
After concluding final exams this week, the University of Portland men’s basketball team will face a tough test on the road Saturday. The Pilots (5-2) will face Brigham Young and their nation’s-longest 52-game home winning streak at 7 p.m. (PST) at the Marriott Center. The Cougars, receiving votes in both the Associated Press and Coaches’ Top 25 polls, are 9-0 on the season after dismantling Boise State 94-56 on Wednesday. It is the first of three straight road games for Portland, who will then face Northern Colorado on Tuesday and Oregon on Dec. 20.
Game Coverage
Saturday’s game versus BYU will be televised on The Mtn (DirecTV 616). All Portland games will be available on 970 AM (KCMD) with a free audio simulcast at portlandpilots.com.
About The Pilots
Portland (5-2) bounced back from a disappointing loss versus Eastern Washington (63-58) and held off Idaho (68-65) last Saturday, despite shooting just 38 percent from the field. Junior G Nik Raivio led all scorers with 21 points and eight rebounds as the Pilots overcame 57 percent shooting from Idaho by forcing 20 turnovers and collecting 15 offensive rebounds. Robin Smeulders added 12 points for Portland, while sophomore G B.J. Porter provided a spark off the bench for the second consecutive game with seven points. The Pilots played both games without starting F Ethan Niedermeyer (high ankle sprain) and he is listed as doubtful for Saturday.
Raivio leads the Pilots and is fourth in the WCC in scoring at 15.7 points per game. Smeulders has scored double figures in all seven games and ranks eighth in the league in scoring (14.3). Balance has been the key as four different players have led the Pilots in scoring through seven games. The team is also averaging 71.0 points per game, compared to 63.1 ppg last season. A big reason for the increased production is offensive efficiency, as Portland is third in the WCC in field goal percentage (.468).
Junior PG T.J. Campbell has been a pleasant addition and leads the WCC in three-point percentage (.516). He is also second in the league in assists (5.6). Campbell, a transfer from Glendale JC (Ariz.), ranks among the WCC leaders in seven statistical categories.
Smeulders was named the WCC Player of the Week on Nov. 17 following his 20-point, 6-rebound performance in a season-opening, 80-74 victory Washington. The Braunschweig, Germany native made numerous clutch baskets down the stretch to secure the win for the Pilots.
One of the main focuses for the program throughout the offseason was improving in the weight room. The results are noticeable, as every player has either added good basketball weight or dropped pounds, if necessary. Reveno describes sophomore center Jasonn Hannibal as the “poster boy” for the strength and conditioning program. Hannibal dropped 30 pounds and reduced his body fat to below 10 percent.
The increased physicality will be necessary as the Pilots will be competing with perhaps the best returning core group of players in West Coast Conference basketball history. After a banner year in which the league sent a record three teams to the NCAA Tournament, 13 of 15 starters will be returning to those squads. Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and San Diego are the favorites to compete for the WCC crown again this year as the league moves the WCC Tournament to a neutral site (Las Vegas, Nev.) for the first time in school history. The Pilots will play 11 total games this season against teams that advanced to postseason play last year.
About Brigham Young
The Cougars (9-0) enter Saturday’s game with the longest home winning streak in the nation at 52 games. BYU dominated visiting Boise State on Wednesday at the Marriott Center, 94-56. Leading by just four points at the half, BYU outscored the Broncos 61-27 in the second period. Jimmer Fredette led five Cougars in double figures with 23 points. BYU has outscored opponents by at least 10 points in all but one game this season - a 68-63 win vs. Utah State. The Cougars are averaging 81.0 points and allowing just 57.9. Senior G/F Lee Cummard, the reining Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, paces BYU and averages 18.9 ppg. Junior G/F Jonathan Tavernari adds 16.7 ppg and 7.4 rebounds, while Fredette also average double figures (14.0).
Head coach Dave Rose is in his fifth season at BYU and posts a record of 81-26. He led the Cougars to the NCAA Tournament last season, falling to Texas A&M (67-62) in a first round matchup. Rose returns two starters and eight lettermen from a team that finished 27-8 overall and 14-2 in the Mountain West. The preseason MWC favorite again this season, BYU is receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches polls. Last season, the Cougars defeated Portland 78-54 at the Chiles Center and also posted a 79-50 victory over UP in Provo two years ago.
Portland-BYU State Series Notes
All-Time: BYU leads 4-0
At UP: BYU leads 2-0
At BYU: BYU leads 2-0
Current Streak: BYU, 4 wins
Last Meeting: BYU 78, Portland 54 (12/1/07, at Portland)
Injury Report
• Ethan Niedermeyer (high ankle sprain) - doubtful
• Nemanja Mitrovic (ill) - doubtful
Back-to-Back For B.J.
With Ethan Niedermeyer sidelined for the past two games, Portland sophomore B.J. Porter has stepped up and played well off the bench. Porter recorded career-highs of eight points and four rebounds in 15 minutes against Eastern Washington and added seven points and two assists against Idaho in 15 minutes. He was 7-for-8 from the floor in those two games and ignited the crowd with three alley-oop dunks. A native of Layton, Utah, Porter missed almost all of last season with a knee injury. He has come off the bench in five games this season for the Pilots.
Nail-Biters
Six of Portland’s first seven games have been decided by six points or less. The only exception was Portland’s 77-58 victory over Yale. The Pilots are 4-2 in games decided by six or less. Last year, Portland finished 2-9 in games decided by six or less. The two Pilot losses have been by a combined
Shooting Struggles
Portland shot 51 percent from the field in the team’s first five games, but has struggled from the floor each of the last two outings. The Pilots shot a season-low 37 percent, including 3-of-18 from three-point range, against Eastern Washington. That was followed by a 38 percent shooting against Idaho.
Pilots Among WCC Leaders
Entering Saturday’s game, Portland leads the WCC in three-point percentage (.350). The Pilots are second in the WCC in field goal percentage (.468), and third in steals (7.7), scoring (71.0), assists (15.5) and rebounding defense (31.9).
Raivio’s All Right
Portland junior guard Nik Raivio was the team’s leading scorer last season (12.6 ppg) and is off to a fast start this year. Raivio recorded his first 20-point game of the year on Saturday vs. Idaho, finishing with 21 points and eight rebounds. He has scored in double figures in six games and is fourth in the WCC in scoring (15.7) and eighth in rebounding (6.3). Nik is the son of Portland Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Raivio and younger brother of former Gonzaga standout and WCC Player of the Year Derek Raivio.
Campbell Running the Show
JC transfer T.J. Campbell has acclimated to the Division I level with a smooth transition. Picked by Blue Ribbon Magazine as the preseason favorite to earn WCC Newcomer of the Year honors, Campbell is currently leads the league in three-point percentage (.516), is second in assists (5.6) and three-pointers made (2.3 per game). He also ranks third in assist/turnover ratio (1.7), eighth in steals (1.4), ninth in field goal percentage (.469) and 21st in scoring (10.1).
Knutson off to Remarkable Shooting Start
Sophomore center Kramer Knutson is leads the team in field goal percentage at .679 (19-28). What is most remarkable about that stat is that Knutson missed his first five shots of the season. Since starting off 0-for-5 in the first half against Washington, Knutson has made 19 of his last 24 shot attempts. He went 5-for-5 in the second half against UW, 6-for-6 against Yale, 1-for-1 at UC Davis and 6-for-7 against Nevada.
Fast-Paced Pilots
Portland has made a point of trying to get in the open court and convert easy baskets this season and the result has been the Pilots averaging 71.0 points per game through the first seven contests. The Pilots have scored at least 75 points in four games and the team is shooting 47 percent from the field thus far. Last year, Portland averaged 63.1 points per game and shot 43 percent from the field.
Balanced Attack
Through the first seven games the Pilots have had four different leading scorers and at least four players reach double figures in five contests. All five starters scored in double figures against Washington and Yale. Nik Raivio, Robin Smeulders and T.J. Campbell are averaging double figures, while six different Pilots have scored in double figures at least two times already this year.
Stohl Finds His Stroke
After being held scoreless in the season opener against UW, sophomore sharpshooter Jared Stohl has set a new career-high in two of the last six games. Stohl finished with 16 points at Portland State and then came off the bench for 17 at UC Davis. He is 14-for-37 on three-pointers this year after setting a UP freshman record by draining 58 three-pointers last season.
Taking Charge(s)
Junior point guard Taishi Ito was voted the team captain by his peers and the 2006-07 All-WCC Freshman Team player is expected to be a big factor for the Pilots off the bench this season. Ito has earned a reputation as a relentless defender and has drawn seven offensive fouls this year, including a crucial charge in the final 90 seconds to help secure the win against Nevada.
A New Niedermeyer
Junior forward Ethan Niedermeyer earned a starting spot for the Pilots with hustle and by doing the little things in preseason, but his offensive abilities are what is opening eyes. His confident perimeter stroke was good for four three-pointers in the season-opener as he finished with 14 points on just nine shot attempts. His encore performance against PSU was no letdown as he went for 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. Niedermeyer only played 10 minutes against Nevada before suffering a left high ankle sprain and has missed the last two contests. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game at BYU.
No Grumpy Old Men
With no seniors on the 2008-09 roster, Portland will once again be one of the younger teams in the nation. Last year, the Pilots were listed as the eighth youngest team in the country according to kenpom.com. Despite the lack of seniors, the Pilots do return seven of their top eight scorers and six players that started at least eight games. In all, Portland returns 80 percent of its scoring and 87 percent of its rebounding.
Rare Pac-10 Win for Portland
The Pilots victory over Washington was the program’s first over a Pac-10 school since the 2005-06 season when Portland defeated both Oregon and Oregon State. The Pilots entered the season 5-19 against Pac-10 opposition over the last 10 years.
Smeulders Earns Player of the Week Nod
After leading the Pilots to their first victory over the Washington Huskies in 15 years, junior forward Robin Smeulders was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Smeulders led the Pilots with 20 points and six rebounds, including numerous key baskets in crunch time. A native of Braunschweig, Germany, Smeulders finished the game 7-for-9 from the field, 5-for-5 from the foul line and drained his only three-point attempt in 27 minutes. He also had two steals and a blocked shot. He scored 12 second half points including seven points in the final 3:42 as the Pilots pulled away.
A Step Back
Beginning this season, fans will see two three-point lines on the court. The men’s three-point was moved back one foot to 20-feet, 9-inches during the off-season. The women’s three-point line will remain at 19-feet, 9-inches, meaning players will now have to navigate through, behind and around two sets of lines.
Schedule Notes
The Pilots will play 11 games this season against teams that advanced to the postseason last year. A league-record three teams went to the Big Dance from the WCC: Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and San Diego. Portland will also host Washington (CBI) and Nevada (CBI) and will play on the road at Portland State (NCAA), BYU (NCAA) and Oregon (NCAA).
Viva Las Vegas
For the first time in conference history, the WCC Basketball Championships will be played at a neutral site as the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. will serve as the 2009 host, March 6-9.
