Complete Release (PDF)

     Portland (5-4) looks to conclude its current three-game road trip with a win as they make the short trip to Eugene, Ore. to face the Oregon Ducks. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. at McArthur Court. Both teams enter the matchup having lost two in a row. The Ducks (4-6) are looking for the 700th win in program history at McArthur Court, while Portland is seeking to become the third straight West Coast Conference program to knock off Oregon (San Diego and Saint Mary’s dealt the Ducks defeats within the last week).

Game Coverage

     Saturday’s game at Oregon will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Northwest. All Portland games will be available on 970 AM (KCMD) with a free audio simulcast at portlandpilots.com.

About The Pilots

     Portland (5-4) suffered back-to-back losses for the first time this season after falling at BYU (91-76) and at Northern Colorado (76-73). Junior G Nik Raivio led four Pilots in double figures against the Cougars with 18 points, but BYU shot 62 percent from the field for the game to pull away in the second half. Junior F Robin Smeulders scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Portland shot 58 percent from the floor against UNC, only to see the Bears hold off a late Pilot rally. The Pilots have played the last four 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 16.0 points per game. Smeulders has scored double figures in all nine games and ranks seventh in the league in scoring (14.6). Balance has been the key as four different players have led the Pilots in scoring through nine games. The team is also averaging 71.8 points per game, compared to 63.1 ppg last season. A big reason for the increased production is offensive efficiency, as Portland is second in the WCC in field goal percentage (.478). Junior PG T.J. Campbell has been a pleasant addition and is second in the WCC in both assists (4.8) and three-pointers made (2.3).

     
Seven of Portland’s nine games have been decided by six points or less and the Pilots are 4-3 in those games. Last year Portland was 2-9 in games decided by six or less.

     
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 Oregon

     The Ducks (4-6) are coming off of back-to-back losses against West Coast Conference opponents, losing 64-57 vs. San Diego in Portland, Ore. and falling 78-73 to Saint Mary’s on Wednesday in Eugene. Portland is the third and final WCC opponent on the Ducks’ schedule this year. Oregon’s next home win will be its 700th victory at historic McArthur Court in Eugene.

     
Junior guard Tajuan Porter has led the Ducks in scoring each of the last three contests and leads four players averaging double figures at 15.2 points per game. Freshman center Michael Dunigan adds 11.5 points and 6.4 rebounds. Freshman point guard Garrett Sim, a Portland native, adds 10.1 points and leads the team with 29 assists. As a team, Oregon averages 73.3 points per game, but are shooting just 41 percent from the field. Led by Porter’s 25 three-pointers, the Ducks average 8.3 threes per game and are shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc.

     
The Ducks return six lettermen and two starters from last year’s team which finished 18-14 overall and was an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ernie Kent has led the Ducks to four NCAA Tournament appearances including two Elite 8 runs since 2002. In his 12th year at Oregon, Kent posts a 215-140 overall mark on the Ducks’ bench. Prior to joining UO, Kent coached the Saint Mary’s Gaels for six years.

Portland-Oregon State Series Notes

All-Time: UO leads 48-9                                   

At UP: UO leads 22-8

At UO: UO leads 22-1                                        

At Neutral: UO leads 4-0

Current Streak: UO, 2 wins                             

Last Five: UO leads 4-1                                    

Last Meeting: #11 Oregon 85, Portland 61 (11/17/07, at Portland)